US sends ambassador back to Syria

A senior US State Department official said on Tuesday that Ambassador Robert Ford will arrive in Syria later in the day.

The White House has described the presence of its envoy in Damascus as being “among the most effective ways” to show Washington's support for the Syrian opposition.

On October 24, the US government announced that Ford had been recalled to Washington because of threats against his safety.

Damascus responded by bringing back its ambassador.

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government accuse the American envoy of helping incite violence in the country.

In late September, angry Syrians pelted Ford and embassy staff with tomatoes as the US mission visited an opposition leader in Damascus.

The United States, which has been calling on Assad to step down, has outraged Syrians by threatening to impose sanctions against the country and encouraging other governments and international bodies to follow suit.

US Ambassador Ford reportedly plans to meet with Syria's government figures.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March, with demonstrations being held both in favor of and against President Bashar al-Assad.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed in the turmoil.

Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, saying it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Syrian opposition groups have interviewed Israeli news outlets over the past few months. The interviews clearly show the opposition's vision for the future of Syria, and indicate their interest in developing relations with Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, the confession of Syrian rebels to carry out armed activities and killing people as well as security forces proves that recent developments in the country are to be seen as parts of an attempt to start a revolt in order to overthrow the current government and replace it with a US-backed regime.

However, the resolution adopted by the Arab League against Syria has increased the unity of Syrian people. Figures show that during the past weeks, nearly 12 million people have demonstrated in support of President Assad.