Nearly 100 Dead in Syria’s Day of Rage

Nearly 100 Dead in Syria’s Day of Rage

Close to 100 protesters were killed in pro-democracy demonstrations throughout Syria on Friday where casualties have been reported in Homs, Latakia and Rastan, in Syria’s latest ‘day of rage’.
 
The protests which erupted again following Friday prayers throughout Syria defied the violent repression which according to Syrian rights group has killed 500 people. The exiled Syrian Muslim Brotherhood officially endorsed the demonstrations calling on the people to continue in their call for reform, freedom and democracy as they participated in the demonstrations. The protestors also demanded Assad’s removal and pledged support for the residents of Daraa, a city of 120,000 the epicentre where the unrest originated on March 18.

Hospitals nationwide received bodies riddled with bullets as Assad failed to meet the demands of the people and continued ordering the stemming of protestors. According to witnesses Syrian forces fired at thousands of protesters heading for the south Syria city.
 
More demonstrations took place in the central cities of Homs and Hama, Banias and Latakia on the Mediterranean coast, Qamishly in eastern Syria and Harasta, a Damascus suburb.

Assad has alleged that the protests are a foreign conspiracy carried out by extremist forces and armed thugs Although he acknowledged the need for reforms, offering overtures of change in recent weeks brutal crack downs on demonstrations continued. Last week, Syria’s Cabinet abolished the state of emergency, in place for decades, and approved a new law allowing the right to stage peaceful protests with the permission of the Interior Ministry.

Related, reports state that the US and the EU have urged the UN Human Rights Council to investigate possible abuses in Syria, They also insisted that Assad allow in foreign journalists and ease Internet restrictions. However diplomats from Nigeria and China cautioned that any council action could be interpreted as meddling.
 
Western and US diplomats have also planned to rally opposition to Syria’s unopposed candidacy to join the 47-nation council.