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    December 09, 2011

15 Killed as Syrian Protests Spread

   VOA News

   Syrian activists say security forces have killed at least 15 people,
   including four children, as anti-government protests spread nationwide.
   The Britain-based [1]Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA three
   boys, ages 10, 12, and 14, were shot and killed Friday in and around
   the restive city of Homs. Meanwhile, a 12-year-old girl was shot in the
   southern part of the country.
   Despite a surge in violence this week, Syrians took the streets
   following Friday prayers in support of a "dignity strike." Activists
   say demonstrations were held in Homs, the southern city of Daraa, the
   northwestern city of Idlib, near the Turkey-Syria border, and in Deir
   el-Zour, in the eastern part of the country.
   Syrian activists are calling for a nationwide strike, beginning on
   Sunday, in an attempt to bring down the regime through civil
   disobedience. The Local Coordination Committee, which is behind the
   country's peaceful protests, is urging citizens to hold sit-ins; to
   close shops, universities and public transportation; and to refuse to
   work in the public sector.
   The observatory is reporting government forces opened fired on
   opposition protesters in Homs on Friday, the epicenter of the regime's
   bloody crackdown. The opposition Syrian National Council issued a
   statement warning of a looming "massacre" as government security forces
   surrounded Homs.
   This has been one of the most violent weeks in Syria since the
   pro-democracy uprising began nine months ago, with the Observatory
   reporting more than 65 people killed since Sunday.
   On Friday, Turkey urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to punish the
   "murders" and to accept the proposal of the Arab League. Turkish
   Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says his country does not want to
   intervene in Syria's internal affairs, but he says Turkey cannot stand
   by when Syria's violence is affecting its neighboring countries.
   Turkey shares a southern border with Syria and is providing a safe
   haven to members of the opposition group, the Syrian National Council.
   Davutoglu's comments in response to Assad's rare interview with an
   American journalist, aired on Wednesday. In the interview, Assad denies
   that he ordered the killing of thousands of anti-government protesters.
   Assad told ABC News he does not control the forces implementing his
   country's brutal crackdown.
   The United Nations reports that at least 4,000 people have been killed
   since the unrest erupted in March.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
   Join the conversation on our social journalism site - [2]Middle East
   Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on [3]Twitter and discuss them
   on our [4]Facebook page.

References

   1. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Syrian-Observatory-for-Human-Rights/121855461256134
   2. http://middleeastvoices.com/
   3. http://twitter.com/VOAMiddleEast
   4. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

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