BEIRUT, Lebanon

Forces near Turkish border likely targeting refugees

Syrian army forces spread through a restive mountainous area near the Turkish border on Thursday as the death toll from a two-day military siege rose to 19 people, according to activists and a witness.

The action by Syrian troops in the northwestern area of Jabal al-Zawiya appeared to be aimed at preventing residents from fleeing to Turkey, where more than 10,000 Syrians have already taken shelter in refugee camps, activists say. The refugees have been a source of deep embarrassment to Damascus, one of the most tightly controlled regimes in the Middle East.

“They fear there will be sympathy for the people who are fleeing, and they are frightened that this will cause international pressure to mount on the regime,” said Mustafa Osso, a prominent Syrian-based human rights activist.

LA PAZ, Bolivia

Drug convention renounced over chewing of coca leaf

Bolivia has informed the United Nations it is renouncing the world body’s anti-drug convention because it classifies the coca leaf as an illegal narcotic.

Bolivia’s decision comes after a proposal by President Evo Morales to remove language that obliges countries that have signed the convention to ban coca-leaf chewing was rejected following U.S. objections.

Bolivia contends the coca leaf in its natural form is not a narcotic and forms a part of Andean culture.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that Bolivia’s decision was presented to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York.

Bolivia plans to rejoin to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs later, but noting its objection to the penalization of coca chewing.