Turkish FM condemns Syrian army's Hama crackdown

  

ANKARA (A.A) - August 1, 2011 - Turkish foreign minister has condemned Sunday's crackdown on Syria's Hama city where government forces killed at least 100 protestors.
"We were greatly disappointed over the operation yesterday in Syria, specifically in Hama. The timing of and the way these operations are conducted in are all wrong. We severely condemn these operations," Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters Monday before leaving for Norway to attend the funeral ceremony of a Turkish national who was killed in the shooting in Norway's Utoya island on July 22.
Syrian army stormed Hama on Sunday to crush dissent in the eve of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. At least 100 people were killed in the attack with reported artillery and anti-aircraft fire.
"The dimensions of loss of civilian lives in an operation that deploys tanks and heavy weapons in a highly populated area should have been known to the Syrian authorities," Davutoglu said.
Davutoglu said Turkey demanded an immediate halt of military operations in Syria for peace to reign in, adding, "welcoming the Ramadan with this great loss of lives is unacceptable."