Annan says intl efforts fail to solve Syrian crisis

DAMASCUS - Clashes have been reported in northern Syria Saturday, as part of the Syrian government's resolve to crack down on armed rebels trenching in the northern region at a time the UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria said the international efforts have failed to solve Syrian crisis politically.

At least eight armed rebels were killed in Maraat al-Numan area in Syria's northern Idlib province Saturday, the private Sham FM radio reported, adding that three of the killed gunmen were Libyan.

Meanwhile, the state-run SANA news agency said the competent authorities have thwarted an infiltration attempt by armed men coming from Turkey, adding that many of the gunmen were killed in the clashes.

The state news agency also said that government troops clashed with armed groups in the Azaz area in northern Aleppo province.

On the opposition side, activists reported large-scale offensive by government troops on rebellious areas at the outskirts of Aleppo and near the capital Damascus.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 35 armed rebels and civilians were killed across Syria Saturday, adding that 19 government troops were also killed.

The activists' claim couldn't be independently checked.

While the violence drags on, UN-Arab League joint special envoy Kofi Annan said Saturday that the international community's efforts to bring the 16-month unrest to an end politically have failed.

Annan made the remarks during an interview with the French daily, Le Monde. "Evidence shows that we have not succeeded," he said.

He noted that the divisions between regional and world powers over how to resolve the Syrian issue were making the situation worse.

Annan offered a few suggestions on how the peace plan could be salvaged. In an earlier interview with the English newspaper Guardian he suggested that Iran had a role to play in resolving the crisis, a suggestion that was totally rejected by the West due to Iran's close ties with the Assad regime.

Annan has recently told the Guardian that Syria will face a spreading civil war unless Russia, the West and Arab states end their "destructive competition" over the country.