Mass Pro-Assad Demo in Damascus as 19 More Killed
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
At least 19 people were killed in violence-hit Syria on Wednesday, activists said, as tens of thousands of supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rallied in Damascus, in a show of support for the embattled leader.
The demonstrators, waving Syrian flags and brandishing pictures of Assad, swarmed to Omayyad Square, chanting, "The people want Bashar al-Assad."
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 19 people, including nine government soldiers, had been killed in the latest unrest between Assad loyalists and opponents.
"Nine servicemen, including an officer of the Syrian regular army, were killed by a rocket, fired by armed men, probably deserters. The soldiers were on a vehicle in al-Hamrat village, on the Hama-Salamiyah road," it said.
Clashes between security forces and soldiers who have deserted and joined the opposition calling for the ouster of Assad, have become more frequent in recent weeks, particularly in the center of the country.
The Britain-based Observatory said that seven civilians, including an 18-month-old baby, were killed and 17 wounded by security forces in the central Homs region, one of the bastions of the Syrian opposition.
Another civilian was killed by shots coming from a military checkpoint at Saraqeb, in the northwestern province of Idlib, while a 63-year-old man was killed in the eastern region of Abu Kamal, and a child in Douma, near the capital, it added.
The Syrian opposition called a nationwide general strike in protest against the regime's crackdown on dissent that has left at least 3,000 people dead since mid-March, according to U.N. figures.
The Local Coordination Committees, which organize protests on the ground, said it was widely followed in Daraa, southern Syria, in areas of Damascus, Idlib, and in Hama and Homs in the center of the country.
It posted videos on the Internet of deserted streets and shuttered shops.
The leading opposition group, the Syrian National Council, urged "all categories of people to go on strike" on Wednesday ahead of the launch of massive campaign of civil disobedience.
"The strike is an expression of the desire to pursue a peaceful campaign until victory," an NSC statement said, adding that a strike had been observed in Daraa, cradle of the protests, for the past six days.
26 October 2011, 14:08
13
civil war for sure!!!!!!!!!!!
but do the syrians have the economic power to afford a civil war?
26 October 2011, 15:44
15
Most dictators use the mass rallies tactics, YOU IDIOT that doesn't work, leave now or you might end up like your friend Quathafi.
26 October 2011, 16:04
25
Gadaffi used to stage these events too at "Green Square" before it became Libya's Martyr's Square. The flag is the final place of retreat for all scoundrels.
Gadaffi used to say too, "My beable love me! They love me!" He said that before he said, "Don't shoot me, don't shoot me!"
I just hope with Assad that his people do not consume him as the Libyans consumed Gadaffi. I hope Assad is tried and that all of the truth of what his regime has done can be made known to the world.
With Gadaffi's death, the window was closed and locked on all that he had done and all that others had him do so that the truth will never be known, It has gone to the unmarked grave with Gadaffi.
26 October 2011, 16:16
04
again funny how no casualties in the pro regime demonstrations.... civil war is on and I think that this is one of the last occurrences of such events... next time there will be blood among the protesters and they will be muted..
26 October 2011, 17:08
06
but i thought that syria is infested with armed terrorists how come they never attack pro assad demos. i mean look at them in iraq the sunni terrorists - as we are to understand from sana the same kind attacking the syrian regime - that bashar was sending there to incite sectarian strife favorite targets were places were lots of people gather like markets, places of worship, poling stations and demos such as this . a thing to make you go humm
26 October 2011, 17:38
15
This was just a show for the Arab league. Did they empty all the schools and factories to get the people there? Did the gov't order all busses to take people there? What a fraud.
This is like during elections Bashar gets 99% of the votes.
26 October 2011, 18:03
05
all totalitarian regimes have the capacity to mobilze thousands of people through fear... just look at history and all the big so called mobilizations to support a regime, so mowaten you make me gently laugh...
if you don t go you would be denounced by your neighbor and have lots of problems... so easy to mobilize people when a gun is pointed at your head!
you are so naive or brainwashed ... or both!
26 October 2011, 18:10
05
Very impressive! I wonder how many anti-Assad demonstrators would gather if they were free to do so and not threatened with arrest, kidnapping, torture or murder, but I guess we'll never know.
26 October 2011, 18:17
04
Some people are really blinded ...
you think what is easier to go demonstrate against Bashar and be shot at or being amicably encouraged (if you know what I mean by a regime who controls all life in the country for 41 years and streaks fear in people eyes)
If Bashar is SO sure about the Syrians then let him proceed with a FREE presidential campaign to see if his so called support even reach 10% of the whole Syrian popilation
26 October 2011, 19:07
03
why everybody is shy to say the truth ?
syria is already divided in 4 areas: alawis+christians+ druze and other minority sects = sunnis in all types( traders, brotherhood,kurds.....)
its BILAD EL SHAM CIVIL WAR.. ASSAD OF B4 CIVIL WAR IS FINISHED, now the regime has to kill to stay alive on a daily basis,its like the old greek time , the gods needs a daily blood sacrefice to remain happy...
I DIDNT KNOW THAT BILAD EL ARZ ARE RELATED TO OLD GODS.
26 October 2011, 19:27
52
Mowaten. I was watching a news doco on abc Australia that began with anti Assad rallies and ended up with Russian journalist, showing the Syrian security forces being attacked by "peaceful" anti Assad protesters. They were being shot at by klashins and rpgs. and then an army centurion was shown being hung, naked in the square of daraa. They interviewed the local school teacher and she was too afraid to speak because of reprisals by the brotherhood. She said they would chop her head off if she spoke against the demostrations. Can believe it? They were scared of the "opposition". They weren't afraid to attack the government and blaim them for suppression of political beliefs... But when he asked her about the police that were killed, she said (supposedly of camera) that she couldnt say anything or her throat would be cut!
This was all from the Abc Australia. Which is funded by the oz government. Then they showed the 165 beheaded soldiers from Deir el shoagour!
26 October 2011, 21:45
51
Hey my friend Gabby, what prevents this show from being repeated every day? You are really dumb and have no clue what you are writing about. Keep up reflecting the dumbness of your likes. LOSERS. By the way, did you extend the grace period for ASSad? He is one week over your 3-months-and-he-will-be-out prediction!!! :)
26 October 2011, 22:22
03
Where are the armed terrorists? How are they not attacking the pro-government protests? Unless of course the government itself is the terrorist and is the one attacking the people who do not agree with them or follow them.
27 October 2011, 03:11
03
The Assad father and son have the same policy "iron fist" and massacring people to teach them a lesson which is not going to work this time because it's spread out across the entire Syrian cities and Bashar will have to dump a Nuclear bomb instead of destroying every house in Hamah which his Dad used to deter the so called "terrorists" or real name Syrian citizens.
There will be lots of blood because the word democracy and reform do not exist in their dictionary.
27 October 2011, 11:01
02
for no reason Naharnet censored my post!?
they will approve the STL because they need the Lebanese banks.
it takes only a comment about one or 2 major banks to collapse the banking system, thus the whole country.
is this what they want?
