Syria claims rebels have killed 2,000 soldiers during uprising as Arab League observers arrive in the country to seek end to bloodshed - 22nd Dec 2011

Two thousand Syrian soldiers have been killed trying to put down a revolt against the regime, the country's government said today.

The claim comes as Arab League monitors arrive in Syria to try and put an end to the bloodshed which has raged for nine months.

More than 5,000 protesters have died at the hands of government security forces, according to the UN, including 200 in just two days this week.

But the regime, headed by President Bashar Assad, has hit back at these figures and claimed that 2,000 pro-government troops have been killed by the protesters, whom it characterises as terrorists.

This claim was made in a letter to the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, and was not backed up by supporting evidence. Read More