19 killed in Syria as protests surge in defiance of crackdown

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Tens of thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Damascus’s suburbs and three of Syria’s five largest cities on Friday, in a weekly show of defiance against President Bashar al-Assad. Activists said at least 19 people were killed.

Security forces fired on protesters in Homs, one of Syria most restive locales, and the police and protesters fought in Deir al-Zour, a large city in the east. But thousands were permitted to demonstrate in Kiswa, a town south of Damascus and carry banners that read, “Leave!” and “The people want the fall of the regime.”

Some opposition figures had speculated that the government might try to bring down the weekly death toll, which surged past 100 on one Friday, in anticipation of a speech Mr. Assad is expected to give as early as Sunday. Syrian officials have portrayed the address as significant, though many in the opposition said their expectations were low.

As the day wore on, the toll approached the 22 who were killed last Friday.

“We want freedom and dignity but not under President Bashar,” said a 30-year-old farmer in Kiswa who gave his name as Abdel-Rahman. “He keeps promising for three months on reforms but all we see is more killing and suffering.”

The government’s crackdown has forced thousands of refugees across the northern border with Turkey and, on Friday, its repercussions spilled across the southern border with Lebanon, when a grenade exploded near hundreds of people protesting against Mr. Assad’s government in the city of Tripoli. Three people were killed there, including a soldier, the police said.

The clash erupted in a part of the northern Lebanese city that has often witnessed clashes between Sunni Muslims and Alawites, a minority heterodox sect that serves as the backbone of Mr. Assad’s rule.

The crackdown has brought international condemnation of the Syrian leadership, which has held power for more than four decades. Diplomats have spoken of growing pressure on Mr. Assad to take steps that have so far proven largely superficial, and Syrian officials have suggested that a more serious dialogue may ensue with opposition figures.

On Thursday, in a symbolic but humiliating episode, the country’s richest businessman, Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Mr. Assad and reviled figure in the country, was forced to announce that he was quitting business and devoting himself to charity.

“You can’t do charity with the millions you stole from us,” read a banner Friday during a protest of hundreds in Zabadani, a town on the outskirts of Damascus.

Since the start of the uprising in mid-March, the government and opposition have cast it in a different light. At times, government officials have acknowledged some of the protesters’ demands as legitimate, while insisting that armed groups have hijacked the movement. The opposition says the government is exaggerating the threat posed by armed groups and contends that the demonstrations are overwhelmingly peaceful.

Syrian state television said a policeman was killed Friday and more than 20 wounded when armed groups opened fire on them. It said six police officers were also wounded when gunmen attacked a police station in Deir al-Zour. Nawaf al-Bashir, an opposition figure in the city, said security forces killed two civilians there and wounded nine people.

The government has barred most foreign journalists from reporting in Syria, and it was almost impossible to reconcile the typically contradictory accounts.

Activists said the worst violence on Friday occurred in Homs, Syria’s third-largest city and a center of the uprising, and the province of Idlib, a conservative Sunni Muslim region in the north that military forces have sought to return to the government’s control.

NYT

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13 responses to “19 killed in Syria as protests surge in defiance of crackdown”

  1. 316909 Avatar

    I HAVE PROOF OF WHATS HAPPENING IN SYRIA. I JUST GOT THESE PICS FROM A ANONYMOUS SOURCE IN SYRIA NOW! PLEASE READ THIS AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND. THE TRUTH IS IN THIS ARTICLE AND YOURE THE FIRST TO SEE IT!!!! MAKE SURE YOU TELL THE WORLD!!!!

    You know what Im sick of this. I keep telling you guys the people the Syrian security forces killed belong to Cobra Commander, Megatron and Papa Smurf. Armed Gangs belonging to Salafist, Megatron, the smurfs, the brady bunch, Cobra commander and others like the Corlioni family from the god father and scar face aka Tony Montana mayn keep attacking people and the syrian regime is simply trying to protect the people. Ya Alla I wish you would understand how dangerous these armed gangs are. Ya Alla!!!! COBRA RETREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I dont know if you guys ever watch GI-Joe and if you have you would know how dangerous Cobra Commander is!!!
    Imagine Cobra and Megatron from the transformers joining forces! WELL THATS WHATS HAPPENING IN SYRIA NOW. Backed by Snipers from the brady bunch and Papa Smurf and his gang of armed Smurf Gangs.

    Grow up people. If the regime in syria falls we will all become Smurfs and slaves to Megatron and cobra commander!!!!!!

    LOOK AT THE PICS BELOW! THEY WERE TAKEN TODAY IN SYRIA!!! IT PROVES WHAT THE REGIME IS SAYING IS TRUE!!!!!!! A PIC IS WORTH A MILLION WORDS!!!!!! PROVE ME WRONG AND ILL GO AWAY FOREVER!!!!!!!

    COBRA RETREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I HAVE PROOF OF WHATS HAPPENING IN SYRIA. I JUST GOT THESE PICS FROM A ANONYMOUS SOURCE IN SYRIA NOW! PLEASE READ THIS AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND. THE TRUTH IS IN THIS ARTICLE AND YOURE THE FIRST TO SEE IT!!!! MAKE SURE YOU TELL THE WORLD!!!!

    You know what Im sick of this. I keep telling you guys the people the Syrian security forces killed belong to Cobra Commander, Megatron and Papa Smurf. Armed Gangs belonging to Salafist, Megatron, the smurfs, the brady bunch, Cobra commander and others like the Corlioni family from the god father and scar face aka Tony Montana mayn keep attacking people and the syrian regime is simply trying to protect the people. Ya Alla I wish you would understand how dangerous these armed gangs are. Ya Alla!!!! COBRA RETREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I dont know if you guys ever watch GI-Joe and if you have you would know how dangerous Cobra Commander is!!!
    Imagine Cobra and Megatron from the transformers joining forces! WELL THATS WHATS HAPPENING IN SYRIA NOW. Backed by Snipers from the brady bunch and Papa Smurf and his gang of armed Smurf Gangs.

    Grow up people. If the regime in syria falls we will all become Smurfs and slaves to Megatron and cobra commander!!!!!!

    LOOK AT THE PICS BELOW! THEY WERE TAKEN TODAY IN SYRIA!!! IT PROVES WHAT THE REGIME IS SAYING IS TRUE!!!!!!! A PIC IS WORTH A MILLION WORDS!!!!!! PROVE ME WRONG AND ILL GO AWAY FOREVER!!!!!!!

    COBRA RETREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. 316909 Avatar

    MORE PROOF OF ARMED GANGS KILLING PROTESTERS. YOU ARE THE FIRST TO SEE THIS. PLEASE LOOK AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND! THIS SOLVES THE QUESTION OF WHO IS BEHIND THE KILLINGS AND REQUESTS FOR FREEDOM IN SYRIA. OUR GREAT LORD BASHAR GOD BLESS HIS SOUL AND ADD TO HIS PERSONAL WEALTH SO HE CAN KEEP KILLING PEOPLE THAT SIMPLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO VOTE AND LIVE IN A CORRUPTION FREE SYRIA!!! LONG LIVE BASHA, LONG LIVE RAMI MAKLOUF, LONG LIVE ANY OTHER MURDER I FORGOT TO MENTION. JUST PLEASE DONT SHOOT ME AND LET ME GO!!!!!!! Look in on of the pics armed gangster tony montana is doing drgus ya alla!!!!!!!!!!!! in another he is shooting at people !!!! I HAVE PROOF YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!!!!!!! if you still think its people asking for freedom then look again!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    MORE PROOF OF ARMED GANGS KILLING PROTESTERS. YOU ARE THE FIRST TO SEE THIS. PLEASE LOOK AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND! THIS SOLVES THE QUESTION OF WHO IS BEHIND THE KILLINGS AND REQUESTS FOR FREEDOM IN SYRIA. OUR GREAT LORD BASHAR GOD BLESS HIS SOUL AND ADD TO HIS PERSONAL WEALTH SO HE CAN KEEP KILLING PEOPLE THAT SIMPLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO VOTE AND LIVE IN A CORRUPTION FREE SYRIA!!! LONG LIVE BASHA, LONG LIVE RAMI MAKLOUF, LONG LIVE ANY OTHER MURDER I FORGOT TO MENTION. JUST PLEASE DONT SHOOT ME AND LET ME GO!!!!!!! Look in on of the pics armed gangster tony montana is doing drgus ya alla!!!!!!!!!!!! in another he is shooting at people !!!! I HAVE PROOF YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!!!!!!! if you still think its people asking for freedom then look again!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    where is president barrakHOSEIN obama ?
    why is he so quiet and all those civilians have been murdered in cold blood ,where he is calling for democracy and freedom for all  this people ,
    why is he so soft with iran and syria? is that because his father was of a shia,s faith ;the same faith of assad and ahmadinijidad,

    1. kareemthehippy Avatar
      kareemthehippy

      Hahaha, sounds like someone is into the Tea Party! I don’t think it’s that, Joseph. I think it’s because Obama and the US don’t have any benefits from invading, oops I meant “saving”, Syria.  I really think it’s down to the economic benefits, i.e. oil. 

      1. 316909 Avatar

        @kareemthehippy, Did you guys even bother reading what I posted and looking at the pics? Stop running away and ignoring the truth. STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        1. kareemthehippy Avatar
          kareemthehippy

          HAHAHAHA

        2. kareemthehippy Avatar
          kareemthehippy

          HAHAHAHA

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    where is president barrakHOSEIN obama ?
    why is he so quiet and all those civilians have been murdered in cold blood ,where he is calling for democracy and freedom for all  this people ,
    why is he so soft with iran and syria? is that because his father was of a shia,s faith ;the same faith of assad and ahmadinijidad,

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Hahaha, sounds like someone is into the Tea Party! I don’t think it’s that, Joseph. I think it’s because Obama and the US don’t have any benefits from invading, oops I meant “saving”, Syria.  I really think it’s down to the economic benefits, i.e. oil. 

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        @kareemthehippy, Did you guys even bother reading what I posted and looking at the pics? Stop running away and ignoring the truth. STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        1.  Avatar
          Anonymous

          HAHAHAHA

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