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    July 09, 2011

Report Says Syrian Security Forces Ordered to Shoot Protesters

   VOA News
   An image taken from footage uploaded on YouTube shows hundreds of
   thousands of Syrian anti-government protesters flooding the streets of
   the central city of Hama on July 1, 2011 Photo: AFP/YOUTUBE
   An image taken from footage uploaded on YouTube shows hundreds of
   thousands of Syrian anti-government protesters flooding the streets of
   the central city of Hama, July 1, 2011

   A U.S.-based rights group says Syrian commanders ordered security
   forces to shoot anti-government protesters to disperse them.
   [1]Human Rights Watch said Saturday that incidents involving the use of
   live ammunition on demonstrators were described by eight soldiers and
   four members of security force agencies who have defected since
   protests erupted in March.
   ^Related video - Behind the Wall Syria

   IFRAME: [2]http://www.youtube.com/embed/7DLi9PXKkD0

   The rights group says the defectors recounted situations in which they
   were initially told by superiors that they would be fighting militants.
   They instead encountered unarmed protesters, but commanders still
   ordered them to open fire.
   Human Rights Watch says in its interviews with defectors, some said
   that they were told by superiors that they risked being shot if they
   refused orders to shoot demonstrators.

   On Friday, activists said at least 13 people were killed during
   nationwide protests against President Bashar al-Assad. They say at
   least six deaths took place in the Damascus suburb of Dumair after
   security forces opened fire on demonstrators.
   The Syrian government blamed "armed gangs" for some of the deaths.
   Also, the state-run SANA news agency said pro-government rallies took
   place in several cities on Friday. The news agency said Saturday that
   Syrian youths were organizing another pro-government rally that would
   take place Sunday in the western city of Lattakia.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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References

   1. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/07/09/syria-defectors-describe-orders-shoot-unarmed-protesters
   2. http://www.youtube.com/embed/7DLi9PXKkD0
   3. http://twitter.com/VOAMidEast
   4. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

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