THE GUARDIAN: Members of president Assad's ruling party have resigned in protest as uprising claims at least 500 lives
Hundreds of president Bashar al-Assad's ruling Ba'ath party have resigned in protest at an increasingly bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters which is now believed to have claimed more than 500 lives.
News of the resignations emerged as a deeply divided UN security council failed to agree on a European and US-backed statement condemning the government's use of violence.
The draft – proposed by France, Britain, Germany and Portugal – was opposed by several within the 15-member security council, including Russia, Lebanon and India.
Alexander Pankin, Russia's ambassador to the UN, warned that a "real threat to regional security could arise from outside interference in Syria's domestic situation".
France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain all summoned Syrian ambassadors in their countries and told them that they condemn the violence and said Assad must change tactics. » | Katherine Marsh in Damascus and agencies | Thursday, April 28, 2011
