Syrian Forces Kill 32, Fire on Protesters in Presence of Monitors
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian security forces on Thursday shot dead 32 people across the country, activists said, as a rights group said troops opened fire on anti-regime protesters as they tried to approach Arab League monitors in the country’s northwest.
The Local Coordination Committees, the main activist group spurring protests on the ground, said security forces killed 30 civilians and two army deserters in several regions.
Seventeen people were killed in the northwestern province of Idlib, ten in the central opposition bastion Homs, three in the eastern oil hub of Deir al-Zour, one in the central province of Hama and another in the Damascus suburb of Douma, the LCC said.
Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch said two protesters were shot and wounded as they tried in Idlib’s Jisr al-Shughour to meet Arab observers overseeing a deal to stem the bloodshed in the country.
It quoted witnesses as saying observers were in a nearby square, but left in a car after the shooting began.
In other developments, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 2,000 students were demonstrating in the Damascus province town of Irbin on Thursday to demand an end to the regime and the "bringing to justice of the murderers of the Syrian people."
And Syrians were being called to demonstrate on Friday in support of the Free Syrian Army, which consists of deserters from the regular army and claims to have 40,000 men based in Turkey.
Also on Thursday, calls grew for greater protection for journalists in Syria after a French reporter was killed by a shell during a government-organized trip to the flashpoint city of Homs.
France demanded an investigation into the death of Gilles Jacquier, 43, who worked for France 2 television, while the U.S. accused Syria of failing to provide an environment hospitable to the media.
Jacquier is the first Western reporter to die in Syria since anti-regime protests erupted in March.
An Agence France Presse photographer said he died when a shell exploded on Wednesday amid a group of some 15 journalists covering demonstrations in Homs on a visit organized by the authorities.
Six Syrians were also reported killed, and several more people were said to have been wounded.
While anti-regime activists in Homs said the authorities had orchestrated the attack, state television said it was "a terrorist group" which had opened fire on the journalists and a gathering of regime supporters.
Wissam Tarif, an Arab campaigner with international activist non-governmental organization Avaaz undermined the government's claims.
"The journalists were attacked in a heavily militarized regime stronghold. It would be hugely difficult for any armed opposition to penetrate the area and launch such a deadly attack," he said.
Tarif also said the incident was an "unacceptable breach of the Arab League protocol," to which Syria has committed itself and which requires journalists to have freedom to report across Syria.
"The regime has denied journalists free access to the country, forcing them to join press tours organized by the ministry of information and chaperoned closely by regime minders," he said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement that "France expects the Syrian authorities to shed light on the death of a man who was simply doing his job: reporting."
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe separately demanded that the circumstances of the death be clarified and reminded Syria of its duty to protect foreign journalists.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the attack while EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton joined global press watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in demanding a rapid inquiry.
The attack on the journalists came hours after President Bashar al-Assad took to the streets of Damascus to address cheering crowds of supporters.
"Without a doubt we will defeat the conspiracy, which is nearing its end and will also be the end for (the conspirators) and their plans," Assad said during the rare public appearance in the capital's Omayyad Square.
The United Nations estimated last month that more than 5,000 people had been killed in the crackdown since March, many gunned down during peaceful street protests.
In a nearly two-hour televised speech on Tuesday, Assad vowed to crush "terrorism" with an iron fist.
"Regional and international parties who are trying to destabilize Syria can no longer falsify the facts and events," said the embattled leader.
That prompted opposition movements to accuse him of pushing Syria towards civil war and world powers to accuse him of trying to shift the blame for the 10 months of bloodletting in the protests against his regime.
In Moscow, Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said, "there is information that NATO members and some Arab states of the Persian Gulf, acting in line with the scenario seen in Libya, intend to turn the current interference with Syrian affairs into a direct military intervention."
In this instance, he said in an interview published on the website of the daily Kommersant, "the main strike forces will be supplied not by France, Britain and Italy, but possibly by neighboring Turkey."
Washington and Ankara may already be working on plans for a no-fly zone to enable armed Syrian rebel units to build up, he said.
On Wednesday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden met the prime minister of crucial Gulf ally Qatar at the White House, and discussed the deepening violence in Syria, officials said.
"In particular, they condemned the ongoing violence in Syria perpetrated by the Assad regime and noted the significance of the Arab League observer mission's final report due on January 19," the White House said.
Critics say the mission has been completely outmaneuvered by Damascus, with the opposition Muslim Brotherhood accusing it of covering up "crimes of the Syrian regime".
12 January 2012, 16:51
15
"intend to turn the current interference with Syrian affairs into a direct military intervention."
little by little the nest is closing on bashar and his puppets in lebanon...
12 January 2012, 17:01
13
I'd like to see what kind of spin these moronic M8ers are going to put on this one. The Politicians and their silly sheep that flood this website as damage control. Should be amuzing to say the least.
12 January 2012, 17:42
41
" U.S. accused Syria of failing to provide an environment hospitable to the media". How many journalists did the blood thirsty American imperialists kill in Iraq??? How times was Aljazeera crew bombed by American troops???
No progressive or Leftist should support this Saudi Syrian owned opposition. At the same time, I do not see a reason why ANY progressive or Leftist should support the Syrian regime.
12 January 2012, 17:58
12
bashar was crystal clear in his last two appearances= more iron fist. so he chosed to confront the "terrorist west"...and the nearest western front to syria/regime is LEBANON.
poor sleiman/mikati, bashar will no more accept a "neutral" position ,but a clear regime siding on all fronts...
12 January 2012, 19:03
14
ASSad might as well shoot himself. He will not be able to avoid the end game. The observers wil have to recommend a court for crimes against humanity, as well as military protected areas with no fly zones. These M8 pre-Sryia freaks can spam this site all they want. But ASSad is cooked.....stick a fork in him.
12 January 2012, 19:50
14
john from koura: it seems you do not believe in the liberty of the press as a great supporter you are of dictatorships...
even your pro syrian lebanese papers al akhbar and al safir were forbidden because they wrote things that didn t please your beloved terrorist regime!!!!
but it seems all right by you it seems... poor little fascist you are
12 January 2012, 20:03
01
Qamrade Qawmi John take it easy brother you might get a heart attack. I agree with you about the no progressive or Leftist should support this Saudi Syrian owned opposition or the Syrian regime. But why should we progressive or Leftists support a group under the command, owned and financed of the Iranian Revolutionary guards who murdered, exiled, arrested and tortured all the progressives and Leftists who helped with the revolution but refused to live in the strict intolerant theocracy that the Ayatollah created. Oh well, as long as the rhetoric is correct "down with the western imderialists and zionist amreekah and God brotects brizident Bashar!!!!!!!!!!!"
12 January 2012, 21:45
40
liberty of the press ?!!!!!!
in which arab and gulf countries there is democracy and liberty of the press ??!!!!!!!
bachar should change the regime and make it a kingdom like the gulf countries ,
12 January 2012, 21:46
11
Assad is the only one,who knows the time he must step down...
Those who were killed will never let him escape...
Dead men and women,dead children can walk ,can talk ,can scream,the dead can stretch the hands ,pull down their killer and whisper ,we can go now to heaven and up the skies.
12 January 2012, 22:48
10
They were calling on Syria to pull all heavy armor from cities, and the observers admitted that had been done. Now suddenly this neighborhood is "heavily militarized by regime"? And now it's difficult for the so-called FSA to attack the Syrian army? They said they had done it many times. These guys can't keep the same story for more than a couple of days.
12 January 2012, 23:03
01
Great message Kamal. It goes without saying that message will haunt these morons on here trying to justify the torture and killing of their fellow man for their own personal gain. May they one day bear the pain and suffering of all the people they are oppressing.
12 January 2012, 23:37
30
peace...you are an idiot. I was commenting only on bloody US hipocracy. I did not say anything about "freedom of the press". If I was supporting the Syrian regime...I would not say not to support the Syrian regime??? Why do I bother on this website.
13 January 2012, 00:17
30
Also, if Al-Akhbar is "pro-Syrian" it would not have been banned in Syria. Do you know what logic means ..."peace"???. Incredible!
13 January 2012, 00:32
30
Gabby, what do you mean "ASSad" might as well shoot himself, my friend? What ever happened to your predictions? Whatever happened to your 3-months-and-he'll-be-gone? Whatever happened to your "Saturday is coming" when it actually comes every friggin week? Whatever happened to your calls in the wild for anti-tank missiles and no-fly zones? Where do you get these fabulous ideas from? From Dr. Commander in Chief Samir Patton, the outstanding military strategist who lost each and every battle that he was involved in both militarily and politically? Did you hear of the Lebanese saying: 7mar wa medde3eh? Keep on sniffing and keep hallucinating, my friend. Might as well shoot himself, huh? Did you do your KG assignment? YA FRIGGIN 3EIN YA GABBY. Bests.
13 January 2012, 00:55
30
Peace, you seem to oppose the freedom of speech of any person who does not agree with you. That makes you the "fascist".
13 January 2012, 02:00
30
Two hours ago, the count was 12. But then who is counting and who is checking with whom? Numbers are being thrown left and right for the pleasure of those who want to practice their math skills online. As if those who know that these are just number games really care. Go play bel 4
13 January 2012, 08:56
30
"But why should we progressive or Leftists support a group under the command, owned and financed of the Iranian Revolutionary guards who murdered, exiled, arrested and tortured all the progressives and Leftists who helped with the revolution but refused to live in the strict intolerant theocracy that the Ayatollah created".
First of all you are not a Leftist, but an ignorant right winger. Leftists (and SSNP) continued on fighting Israeli enemy until the Last day of 2000. In 2006, when Israel invaded Lebanon 8 members of LCP were killed fighting the Israeli enemy. In the mid 1980's when HA was under the lousy Toufali, we were attacked by them. Toufali has been kicked out of the party. Leftists support ANY organization that fights imperialism and Zionism. If you have any intelligence, you would understand that JUST BECAUSE WE ARE ALLIES AGAINST ZIONISM AND IMPERIALISM, it does not mean that we embrace their ideology. The LCP is not a member of M8.
