Syria agrees to Arab League extension

CAIRO, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Syria has agreed to extend the Arab League's monitoring mission for another month, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

The Arab League observers appointed to the mission are trying to get Damascus to implement a plan to stem the violence against anti-government protesters demanding the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi told CNN a letter has been sent to the head of the Arab League informing the group of Syria's decision. Syrian media said the extension will go until Feb. 22.

There will be fewer observers, however, after Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman announced Tuesday that they are joining Saudi Arabia -- all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- in pulling out its monitors because of Syria's lack of commitment to ending the bloodshed, CNN said.

An Arab League official in Cairo said 55 monitors from the six countries have been withdrawn from the mission.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is calling for the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and other council members to increase pressure on Syria to stop violence against civilians, free political detainees and allow outsiders to travel freely in Syria, CNN said.

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the situation in Syria "continues to deteriorate dramatically."

"Despite the presence of Arab League monitors, the Assad regime is ignoring its commitments to the Arab League plan, including by failing to end all acts of violence and to protect Syrian civilians," Rice said Tuesday in a statement. "Scores of civilians are killed every day. Thousands of political detainees remain incarcerated across the country, many at serious risk of torture. We believe it is essential that the international community work together to support a stable transition, and we commend the Arab League for putting forth a transition plan."

At least 60 people were killed Tuesday in Syria, activist groups said.

The head of the Arab League observers in Syria said his team persuaded the Syrian government to remove tanks from neighborhoods and reduce the number of military and security teams deployed near demonstrations.

Gen. Mohammed Ahmed al-Dabi of Sudan said his observers documented 136 deaths and the release of thousands of detainees during its 20-day mission.