Arab League considers future of Syria mission Arab League leaders will decide on Sunday if they are to extend their monitoring mission in Syria. The mission's chief has arrived in Cairo to present his report to Arab foreign ministers. Monitors have been observing events on the ground in Syria for several weeks. In that time hundreds of people have been killed, as both an insurgency and government crackdown intensify. The mission's been criticised as ineffective by some, and its members have been occasionally subjected to hostility themselves. Supporters say the mission reduced violence to some degree, but critics say it provided diplomatic cover for President Bashar al-Assad to pursue a nationwide purge of his opponents. The Arab League itself is divided over what role the mission should have. More about: Arab League, Bashar al-Assad, Cairo, United Nations, Urban violence