Resolving the conflict in Syria is in Britain’s national interest

There was an air of inevitability about yesterday’s massacre in the Syrian village of Tremseh which left 200 civilians dead. Observers of the Syrian uprising could foretell this grim event after Bashar al-Assad suffered two significant diplomatic setbacks over the last week.

First, one of Assad’s closest friends and the highest ranking Sunni member of his government, General Manaf Tlass, fled to Turkey last week. News of his defection roared through Damascus. He was followed by Nawaf al-Fares, a senior member of the Baath party and accomplished diplomat who has served both Assad père and fils, who announced his defection on Wednesday.

The Tremseh massacre follows a similar incident in Houla just seven weeks ago. An estimated 100 civilians were killed in that incident; with the disturbing revelation that around twenty of the victims executed by Assad’s forces – their throats had been slit – were under the age of 10.