[J Kleruu]

Members of the Free Syrian Army sit and mourn a comrade killed during fighting with government forces in al-Qusour neighborhood, in central Homs. (Reuters)

By Al Arabiya with agencies

The death toll has crossed 17,000 since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011, claimed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The violence has grown increasingly chaotic in recent months and it is difficult to assign blame for much of the bloodshed as the country spirals toward civil war it reported.

The government restricts journalists from moving freely, making it impossible to independently verify death tolls.

The Britain-based Observatory said Monday that among the 17,129 deaths 11,897 were civilians, 4,348 soldiers and 884 military defectors.

The group has a network of activists on the ground who document deaths and rights violations using eyewitness accounts, hospital reports and video footage.

Another group, the Local Coordination Committees, says 14,841 civilians have been killed.

Syria

[Mwali]

Jamani, why is the international community so passive there?
Au sababu hawana mafuta, hawana uranium and gold reserves?
Did you see the western support in Lybia (kupitia NATO)? so sad!
The people hold the sovereignty, decide who they want to lead them
wakisema toka, na "kiongozi" akatae, atumie mali yao kuwaua
kwa nini umoja wa mataifa uangalie tu? Si wetu ndio taifa? inauma...