World

‘Day of Martyrs’: 5,000 Storm the Streets in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Thousands of Syrians shouting “We want freedom!” marched Friday in a southern city that has become the epicenter of an extraordinary protest movement as security forces deployed across the country, witnesses said.

Activists dubbed Friday a “Day of Martyrs” and called for mass demonstrations to honor more than 70 people killed during two weeks of protests in one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.

An eyewitness told The Associated Press up to 5,000 people took to the streets in Daraa shouting “We want freedom!“ and ”The blood of martyrs is not cheap!”

Security forces were heavily deployed in and around the city but did not immediately intervene to stop them, said the eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Protests erupted in Syria on March 18 in the impoverished and drought-stricken south and spread quickly to other areas. Syrian activists have called for massive demonstrations following Friday midday prayers across the nation.

President Bashar Assad dashed expectations he would announce sweeping reforms this week and instead blamed the popular fury that has gripped Syria on a foreign conspiracy. He set up committees on Thursday to investigate the civilian deaths and the possibility of replacing decades-old emergency laws.

The wave of protests has presented the 45-year-old leader with the gravest challenge since he inherited power 11 years ago from his father, taking the helm of one of the Middle East’s most authoritarian regimes.

Scores of plainclothes security agents deployed Friday in Damascus near the historic Umayyad mosque, where only last week, pro- and anti-government crowds clashed, hitting each other with leather belts.

As people began leaving the mosque Friday, a crowd of at least 300 people carrying Syrian flags and pictures of Assad broke out into clapping and chants of “Allah, Syria, Bashar!” The chanting lasted for about 10 minutes before the crowds dispersed.

Security forces made no attempt to stop them.

There were reports of other protests in areas surrounding Daraa, as well as the northeastern city of Qamishli, but those reports could not be immediately confirmed.

A Syrian Kurd in Beirut in touch with eyewitnesses there said thousands of people were protesting in Qamishli as well as the nearby towns of Amouda and Derbasiya. He said the demonstrators came out in solidarity with Daraa, chanting “peaceful, peaceful.”

The activist said security forces and soldiers were closely watching the demonstrations.

Comments (25)

  • MUDFLAPS
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 5:15pm

    cockroaches of the world.

    Report Post »  
  • Gypsy123
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 1:36pm

    Why can’t the Muslims get along with each other?????

    Report Post » Gypsy123  
  • MikeinIdaho
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 11:00am

    And another piece of the Middle East descends into chaos as the Soros/Obama plan to move us to One World Government “progresses”. Soon Europe will erupt, then the US. Prepare for a VERY bumpy ride.

    Report Post » MikeinIdaho  
  • CanDan
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 10:43am

    Activists dubbed Friday a “Day of Martyrs”

    Syrian activists have called for massive demonstrations following Friday midday prayers across the nation

    A Syrian Kurd in Beirut in touch with eyewitnesses there said crowd chanting “peaceful, peaceful, We want freedom! and The blood of martyrs is not cheap!”

    This is Islam in action

    Islamic law is incompatible with democracy.

    It is a theocratic system with Allah alone at its head.

    Allah’s law is interpreted by a ruling body of clerics.

    All non-Islamic human rights cancelled.

    In Islam there is no peace unless Muslims have power – and even then…

    Report Post »  
  • exdem
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 9:44am

    I just want to ask the moderators why a post about Obama praising and assisting protestors in mideast, and on the other hand Dems and media equating TEA Party members to domestic terrorist was deleted from the Blaze. This was a much better site before HuffyPo people joined the staff.

    Report Post »  
  • quicker
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:58am

    I have a big problem with putting our milatary under nato control.Just think if a high ranking officor. refuses an order he dos`t agre with or gets charge with a war crime .Will this President stand up for him or just throw them under the bus.It is time we get out of nato and the UN.Let them pay for every thing themselves.These countrys don`t like us and thanks to Obama no longer fear us,for agin we have become the paper tiger.Go d bless and protect our brave military,Amen

    Report Post » quicker  
  • clockwatcher
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:39am

    The black jimmy carter frozen like a deer in headlights, so stupid, foolish, so over his head. The nation does not need a community organizer we need a powerful leader.VOTE VOTE this looser out of office.

    Report Post » clockwatcher  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:32am

    Remember: While we may be surprised at all that is going on, GOD is not. We are in HIS hands. HE is protecting us and leading us.

    I read in a lovely book called GOD CALLING edited by A.J. Russell, JESUS‘ responses to the two women’s prayers whose project it was to prove the Scripture, “Where two or more are more are gathered in MY name, there I AM in the midst of them”,

    “Wait. Wonders are unfolding. Tremble with awe. No man can stand upon the threshold of Eternity unshaken…”

    And,

    “Be not afraid. I am your GOD, your DELIVERER. From all evil, I will deliver you. Trust ME. Fear not. Never forget your `Thank YOU`…..”

    If you do not already have that little book, run, don’t walk to get it. It is filled with wonder and joy, JESUS’ own words to two women who about 70 years ago took HIS words literally and gathered together to pray. GOD CALLING edited by A.J. Russell is not the same book on the stands now called (I’m not sure) JESUS Calling (?) I know GOD CALLING. I do not know the new book.

    GOD BLESS!

    Report Post »  
  • searching for the Truth
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:32am

    Mr. Beck: Is there a link somewhere for ” The Mahdi is Near.”

    Report Post »  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:26am

    Are we going to start bombing Syria next for humanitarian reasons? That is the reasons that we are doing so in Libya we were told so using that logic Syria should be next. While we are at it there are reports that 20,000 people have been killed in Mexico by the drug cartels. Will the tomahawk missiles be flying there next? Using the bogus reasoning of the administration there are unlimited number of places that we should be going in and bombing the crap out of the government.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:32am

      Hey Rick, now he‘s said that if the rebels start killing loyalist civilians he’ll bomb the rebels. The military should do away with the camouflage uniforms and put on referee stripes.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:22am

    SMART BOMBS! where are you?

    Report Post »  
  • felina g
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:15am

    Do we have another “Responsibility to Protect” ?

    Boy, more “surprises” for Obama and his minions. I`m shocked !

    Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:21am

      Obama has no problem with Assad, he’s already committed to the destruction of Israel.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • kryptonite
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 9:15am

      @Gonzo
      Exactly. Notice the media’s change from “BRUTAL DICTATOR” (depicting Mubarak) to “AUTHORITARIAN DICTATOR,” to describe a murderous dictator like Assad. Softened qualifiers from the left, just because he’s an Israel hater.

      Report Post »  
  • drbage
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:13am

    Unfortunately, the “reformist”(Hillary’s word, not mine) Assad probably was secretly filming all the demonstrators with the spy cameras he recently bought with the money that Iran has given him to prop up his goverment.

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:12am

    So, who will take control of Syria in the near future, and who thinks Soros and his band will lose it to the Iranians?

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • felina g
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:21am

      Is water the new oil/gold ?
      Libya is about the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer system.

      Alexander the great & many others learned the hard way if you want to conquer control water.

      to paraphrase Rothschild…”give me control over the water & I care not who makes the law”.

      Report Post »  
    • joe conservative
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 8:50am

      The Muslim Brotherhood is all over Syria. Sometimes we have to do a better job of picking our fights. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRU63qCJkw to see just how evil this group is.

      Report Post » joe conservative  
    • exdem
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 9:29am

      Look at my post. Why is it awaiting moderation?? Most of my post have not appeared in the past few days. What rules are they violating?? What has happened to the Blaze??

      Report Post »  
    • ottodiedacktick
      Posted on April 1, 2011 at 1:20pm

      @EXDEM: Keep trying to get back on and hope for the best. Good luck.

      ********************** ********* ***********************

      While in the playground, there are two bullies who want to beat each other to a pulp, but they both hate you and want to beat you up next.

      1) Do you jump in and pick one side?

      2) Do you get between them and try to separate them while
      reporting one side for bullying?

      3) Do you allow them both to fight each other so that the
      triumphant bully is much weaker when (s)he comes to
      fight against you?

      American foreign policy is stuck between #1 and #2. When there is a conflict in the Middle East, our administration feels responsible to protect one side, no matter how antagonistic that side has been to our country in the past.

      Report Post »  

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