الرئيسية
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Syrians took to the
streets on Friday to protest against President Bashar al-Assad,
activists said, a day after Syria's big power ally Russia sharpened its
criticism of Damascus in a draft United Nations resolution.
Activists and residents said Syrian forces shot dead four people in a
continuing crackdown that the United Nations says has killed 5,000
people in the last nine months and has provoked Western and Arab League
sanctions to isolate Damascus.
Friday's killings took place, activists said, after midday prayers in
the eastern city of Deir al-Zour and in Homs, hotbed of opposition to
four decades of repressive Assad family rule.
In Homs 200,000 people joined a protest march, the British-based
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, and footage broadcast by Al
Jazeera television showed mock gallows where five effigies were hanged,
including one of Assad.
It was not possible to verify the number of protesters as Syria has
barred most independent journalists, but if true it would be one the
biggest turnouts for several weeks.
Russia on Thursday presented a new, beefed-up draft resolution on the
violence to the U.N. Security Council, offering a chance for the
15-nation panel to overcome deadlock and deliver its first statement of
purpose on Assad's crackdown.
The council has been split between Western countries harshly critical
of Syria on the one hand, and Russia, China and non-aligned countries
on the other that have refused to pin the main blame on Assad for the
violence.
Western diplomats believe a firm Security Council resolution backed
by Russia, Syria's longstanding ally and arms supplier, could make a
real difference to efforts to tackle the crisis.
Assad has denied that Syrian forces have been given orders to kill
demonstrators, blaming armed groups for the violence. He said 1,100
soldiers and police have been killed since the uprising erupted in
March, inspired by other unrest in the Arab world that has toppled three
autocratic leaders this year.
An armed insurgency has begun to eclipse civilian protests, raising
fears Syria could descend into civil war. On Thursday army deserters
killed 27 soldiers and security personnel in the southern province of
Deraa, the Observatory said.
streets on Friday to protest against President Bashar al-Assad,
activists said, a day after Syria's big power ally Russia sharpened its
criticism of Damascus in a draft United Nations resolution.
Activists and residents said Syrian forces shot dead four people in a
continuing crackdown that the United Nations says has killed 5,000
people in the last nine months and has provoked Western and Arab League
sanctions to isolate Damascus.
Friday's killings took place, activists said, after midday prayers in
the eastern city of Deir al-Zour and in Homs, hotbed of opposition to
four decades of repressive Assad family rule.
In Homs 200,000 people joined a protest march, the British-based
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, and footage broadcast by Al
Jazeera television showed mock gallows where five effigies were hanged,
including one of Assad.
It was not possible to verify the number of protesters as Syria has
barred most independent journalists, but if true it would be one the
biggest turnouts for several weeks.
Russia on Thursday presented a new, beefed-up draft resolution on the
violence to the U.N. Security Council, offering a chance for the
15-nation panel to overcome deadlock and deliver its first statement of
purpose on Assad's crackdown.
The council has been split between Western countries harshly critical
of Syria on the one hand, and Russia, China and non-aligned countries
on the other that have refused to pin the main blame on Assad for the
violence.
Western diplomats believe a firm Security Council resolution backed
by Russia, Syria's longstanding ally and arms supplier, could make a
real difference to efforts to tackle the crisis.
Assad has denied that Syrian forces have been given orders to kill
demonstrators, blaming armed groups for the violence. He said 1,100
soldiers and police have been killed since the uprising erupted in
March, inspired by other unrest in the Arab world that has toppled three
autocratic leaders this year.
An armed insurgency has begun to eclipse civilian protests, raising
fears Syria could descend into civil war. On Thursday army deserters
killed 27 soldiers and security personnel in the southern province of
Deraa, the Observatory said.