Syrian forces fired on protesters on Friday as tens of thousands rallied against President Bashar al-Assad, defying a crackdown.
Friday’s protests erupted despite a pledge that Assad’s tycoon cousin Rami Makhlouf, a symbol to protesters of elite corruption and unaccountability, would renounce his business empire and channel his huge wealth into charity. Witnesses in the eastern town of Deir al-Zor said two people were shot dead as they tried to rip down posters of Assad and his father, who ruled for 30 years until his death in 2000. State television said gunmen shot dead a member of the security forces in Homs and wounded 20.
Activists said tens of thousands of people protested in the southern province of Deraa where the three-month revolt against Assad’s rule began, the Kurdish east, the cities of Homs and Hama north of Damascus, and suburbs of the capital itself.
Friday Muslim prayers have been a platform for the biggest protests leading to the most bloodshed in the uprising, inspired by revolts which overthrew the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia and have challenged autocrats across the Arab world. Residents said two northern towns remained encircled by army units, five days after the military retook the rebellious town of Jisr al-Shughour and sent thousands of refugees streaming across the nearby border into Turkey.
Syrian rights groups say 1,300 civilians and more than 300 soldiers and police have been killed since the protests broke out in March against 41 years of rule by the Assad family, and 10,000 people have been detained.
Assad has responded to the unrest with a mix of military repression and political gestures aimed at addressing protesters’ grievances.
On Thursday state media said Makhlouf was quitting business and handing proceeds to charity. Makhlouf controls a string of businesses including Syria’s largest mobile phone operator, duty free shops, an oil concession, airline company and hotel and construction concerns, and shares in at least one bank.
Activists said Makhlouf’s step by itself would not curb the momentum of protests. They said Assad, who has only spoken twice in public since the uprising started, was expected to address the country soon and might unveil further measures.
In the Damascus district of Midan, worshippers were attacked as they left the al Hassan mosque by security forces carrying sticks and electric batons, one witness said.
Syrian forces have surrounded two nearby towns on the main north-south road linking Damascus with the second city of Aleppo. Villagers have been streaming out of the towns, fearful of an assault similar to the one witessed in Jisr al-Shughour.
The state news agency has said army units deployed near Khan Sheikhoun and Maarat al-Numaan to ensure the highway’s safety.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held talks with a Syrian envoy on Thursday in which he called on Damascus to end the violent crackdown and pass democratic reforms.
Turkish officials said the number of refugees who had crossed over from Syria had reached 9,600, and another 10,000 were sheltering by the border just inside Syria.
Source: Reuters