BEIRUT — France became the first Western power to recognize a fledgling Syrian opposition coalition fully, stepping out beyond the United States, which said Wednesday the body must first show its clout inside Syria. Six Gulf Arab states recognized the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces on Monday and France followed suit the next day, unlike its European partners. President Francois Hollande's decisive posture on Syria recalled that of his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy on Libya last year, when France led calls for NATO action to protect civilians which effectively helped Libyan rebels topple Muammar Gaddafi. The European Union bans arms sales to Syria, but Hollande said the question of arming rebels would be examined when the coalition formed a transitional government. Paris had previously ruled this out, fearing arms could reach militants. Significantly, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said her country will provide an additional $30 million in humanitarian aid to Syria, bringing the total US aid to the war-torn nation to $200 million. Clinton made the announcement in Western Australia, where she is attending an annual summit with US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and their Australian counterparts. Syrian opposition fighters have few weapons against the air force and artillery of President Bashar Al-Assad's regime, which can pound rebel-held territory at will. A Syrian warplane bombed the town of Ras Al-Ain near the Turkish border again Wednesday, rocking buildings on the frontier and sending up huge plumes of smoke, in the latest of several attacks since rebels captured the town last week. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel fighters killed at least 18 soldiers as they overran a military post near Ras Al-Ain, a border town that the opposition fighters seized Friday. The Britain-based watchdog also said some soldiers managed to flee the area, located in the province of Hasakeh. Three rebels were killed and more than 10 wounded, said the watchdog, which relies on a network of activists, lawyers and medics in civilian and military hospitals. The air strike drew strong Turkish warning which said its military would retaliate if any Syrian aircraft violate its airspace. Turkey's Anadolu news agency and other Turkish media said several villages west of the border town of Ceylanpinar have been evacuated to protect residents from any spillover of fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels. About 1,000 people left Mursitpinar, 180 km from Ceylanpinar, after an appeal from the loudspeakers of local mosques. Turkey's Defense Minister, Ismet Yilmaz, indicated that Turkey would use military force in response to any incursions by Syrian aircraft. — Agencies
