Syrian forces unleashed a large-scale military offensive in the southern city of Deraa early on Monday. About 3,000 troops – some in standard army uniforms, others in black – entered the city around 4.30 am, accompanied by tanks and began "shooting randomly", according to a report (in Arabic) by CNN. The video above, posted on YouTube purports to show the troops arriving. There is another video of a sniper in action here.

Media coverage in Syria is heavily restricted by the authorities but AFP quotes an activist speaking by phone from Deraa:

"Hundreds of security service men entered the town, accompanied by tanks and armoured vehicles.

"The men are firing in all directions and advancing behind the armour which is protecting them ... Electricity is cut off and telephone communications are virtually impossible."

Deraa is the city where the uprising began last month.

On Sunday, Human Rights Watch called for an international inquiry under UN auspices into the killing of Syrian protesters. It 
continued:

"The US and European Union should also impose sanctions on Syrian officials who bear responsibility for the use of lethal force against peaceful protesters and the arbitrary detention and torture of hundreds of protesters, as well as request an urgent briefing of the UN Security Council on the spiraling situation in the country, including shootings on April 22."

A spokesman for the organisation said: "After Friday's carnage, it is no longer enough to condemn the violence. Faced with the Syrian authorities' 'shoot to kill' strategy, the international community needs to impose sanctions on those ordering the shooting of protesters."

The Syrian regime continues to maintain that it is dealing with "armed groups" and that its killing of peaceful demonstrators is a fabrication by agitators and the foreign media.

The official news agency, Sana, quotes the uncle of a man killed on Saturday, refuting "lies spread by satellite channels" that he was shot by security forces. According to the uncle, he was shot from behind "by a sniper" rather than the security forces who were in front of him.

"I just wanted to clarify the issue to everyone … we offer our martyr for the sake of the country," the uncle is quoted as saying.

Sana is devoting much attention to the comparatively small number of security forces who have been killed, including sevenwho died near Deraa on Saturday. In all these cases "armed criminal groups" are blamed, without any indication of who they are or what their motives might be.

About 300 supporters of the regime resumed their sit-in outside the offices of al-Jazeera on Sunday. They had suspended their activities for a few days in order to obtain a government licence as required under the new demonstrations law. Sana's report continues:

"Participants in the sit-in, whose ages ranged from 3 to 70, carried signs denouncing the media misdirection and distortion of facts carried out by al-Jazeera. They demanded that the channel issue an apology to the Syrian people or close its office in Damascus.

"Media student Kinda Kajo said that they organised the sit-in in objection to the biased coverage of al-Jazeera that the Syrian people will not allow unknown to besmirch their image, adding that Syrian media proved to be more honest and transparent and that the sit-in will continue until 'they apologise or leave'.

"Student Firas Haidar said that he and his colleagues are participating in the sit-in to confront al-Jazeera's lies ..."

The unfolding events in Deraa, together with the regime's brutal response to protests elsewhere, inevitably raise fears about a repeat of the 1982 Hama massacre, when thousands were killed. But a lot has changed since then, as Ranai Abouzeid points out inan article for Time:

"Syria 2011 is not Syria 1982. The regime is still ruthless, but this time the rebellion is not restricted to one city or one sect. The constant stream of amateur video spilling over social media is also documenting events - despite the regime's best efforts to smother information by banning journalists - and suggesting that, if there is not a future reckoning, there will at least be a future record.

"There are other differences. While the father had time on his side (the Hama massacre was preceded by four years of on-off clashes), the son doesn't. The volume of international condemnation is rising, and domestically he may not be able to continue his ferocious crackdown without cracks in his regime or the military."

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 25 April 2011.