At a conference on Middle Eastern peace in Istanbul, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan condemns the ongoing violence in Syria.<br/> <br />Erdogan called the government-backed crackdown a "mass slaughter" and accused some countries of remaining silent only because of sectarianism.<br/> <br />The violence is exactly what happened in the Battle of Karbala, Ergodan claimed-- referring to a prominent part in Islam's Shi'ite tradition-- an uneven fight between a small number of supporters of Mohammed's grandson and the forces of the Umayyad caliph in 680 AD.<br/> <br />The significant inequality in numbers and strength between the two sides resulted in the death of Hussain, the Prophet's grandson, and his supporters.<br/> <br />Meanwhile in Syria, amateur video that Reuters cannot independently verify purports to show a smoke-filled alley-way in Aleppo where armed Syrian rebels are involved in a gun battle.<br/> <br />Aleppo, a city of 2.5 million, mirrors what is happening across the country.<br/> <br />Vastly outgunned, rebel fighters have dispersed into urban areas which are then pounded indiscriminately by artillery and warplanes until the guerrillas are flushed out.<br/> <br />The Syrian civilian death toll continues to rise-- with an estimated 18,000 killed since the violence began 17 months ago.
