World

Video Shows Syrian Security Forces Allegedly Beating Citizens As Rampant Violence Spreads


BEIRUT (The Blaze/AP) — The situation in Syria continues to be dire, as the government crackdown on citizens rages on. The above video, posted to social media platforms, is said to show citizens being beaten by security forces. Additionally, the footage purportedly shows evidence that Syrian forces are destroying private homes.

Unrest continues across the Middle Eastern nation. Syrian troops fired on fleeing residents, killing at least one person early Monday in the port city of Latakia where military operations to root out protests against President Bashar Assad’s autocratic regime were in the third day, witnesses and activists said.

Separately, activists and rights groups said troops backed by tanks entered the village of Houla, in the flashpoint central city of Homs. They said the military was carrying out raids and arrests there.

The military assault in Latakia has killed nearly 30 people since Saturday, and possibly more after gunboats on Sunday joined ground troops for the first time to crush the 5-month-old uprising against Assad.

The London-based Observatory for Human Rights said troops opened fire Monday as a group of fleeing residents approached a checkpoint in the Ein Tamra district of Latakia. One person was shot dead and five were wounded.

A Latakia resident confirmed the account, saying troops fired as scores of people, many of them women and children, were fleeing. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The Local Coordination Committees, an activist group that helps organize protests in Syria, also confirmed troops fired at fleeing families. It said random gunfire was being heard Monday in addition to a campaign of raids and house-to-house arrests.

It also reported heavy gunfire and explosions in Latakia’s Quneines neighborhood.

The regime has banned foreign media and restricted local coverage, making it difficult to verify accounts on the ground.

The coordinated attacks in Latakia were the latest wave of a brutal offensive against anti-government protests launched at the beginning of the month and marked a new escalation in the regime’s crackdown.

As the gunships blasted waterfront districts Sunday, ground troops and security forces backed by tanks and armored vehicles stormed several neighborhoods, sending terrified women and children fleeing, some on foot, to safer areas.

The assault showed Assad has no intention of scaling back the campaign even though it has brought international outrage and new U.S. and European sanctions.

A Syrian military official on Monday denied as “absolutely baseless” reports that gunboats had fired on Latakia. The official, whose comments were carried by state-run news agency SANA, said the gunboats were patrolling the coast “on a routine mission to prevent weapons smuggling into the country.”

On Sunday, SANA said troops were pursuing “gunmen using machine guns, hand grenades and bombs who have been terrorizing residents in al-Ramel district.”

The regime blames the unrest on a foreign conspiracy and often issues reports on its state-run media that contradict widespread witness accounts and video footage provided by witnesses.

The security forces appear to be intent on crushing dissent in Latakia, which has seen large anti-Assad protests since the Syrian uprising began in mid-March. On Friday, as many as 10,000 marched there, calling for the president’s ouster. Below, watch protest video and a report from Al Jazeera:

The brutality fueled international outrage with Syria, a hardline Arab state closely allied with Iran, and led to new sanctions against the regime by the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Also Monday, Assad sacked the governor for the key northwestern province of Aleppo, Ali Mansour, and replaced him with Mowaffak Khallouf, SANA said.

No reason was given for the sacking. But while the opposition has yet to bring out the middle and upper middle classes in Damascus and Aleppo, the two economic powerhouses, protests have been building in Aleppo. Four people were killed there Friday as security forces attacked protesters.

Comments (41)

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  • machine1600
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 5:42pm

    Imagine if Those civilians were well armed like americans…………………… Imagine if Americans didnt have any !!!!! We would definetly face the same dictatorship. Dont ever give in your weapons , unless you think you can protest and gain control.

    Report Post »  
  • NormanDeArmond
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 4:30pm

    Muslim Spring are AlQaeda Beat em once for me. Beat em twice for the Christians we destroyed in Iraq graciously given asylum in Syria.

    Report Post » NormanDeArmond  
  • Ari Ben TZion
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 4:28pm

    Arab/Muslims have been fighting amongst themselves for hundreds of years. It’s what they do best.

    All we have to do is leave them the hell alone and they will commit apoptosis.

    Report Post » Ari Ben TZion  
  • platitude
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 2:28pm

    its obamas fault

    Report Post » platitude  
  • V-MAN MACE
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 1:08pm

    I don’t live there.

    Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • knockered
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 2:19pm

      Seems funny how quick the U.N. and our thief in charge got involved in lybia and don’t seem to notice what is going on in Syria. I guess theres not enough oil riches in Syria, but I though it was all about the people….hmmmm

      Report Post »  
  • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:40pm

    That wacky religion of peace at it again….animals will be animals. When will the world realize we need to warn these people one final time if they can‘t reign in their violence we’ll have to end them for the sake of the other 4 billion people on planet earth who can’t sleep at night worrying what Muslim will wreak havoc in their world today.

    I live around a couple of these people and they drive me mad with their middle eastern ‘you owe us something’ attitude and I’m ready for a holy war on them the minute the shiiite starts flying to take care of my backyard per se at least. They’re inconsiderate, they can‘t drive worth a dang as every one of their cars are beat to crap like you can’t imagine, in all seriousness. They all drive Lexus’s&Toyota Camry’s and each one started out new and is now a rolling hazard to the sight and sound. It‘s like they drive around hitting other cars all day long or people don’t like them too much, or both. I just don’t understand, I’ve got 2 expensive cars and had both for ten years and neither has a scratch

    I’ve lived next to these people for 5 years now and called the FBI on them a number of times for suspicious behavior like never working, always outside on their cell phones and ill parking of cars, they’re just an overall nuisance. They have no interest whatsoever of melding into the background, they walk around here like they’re in CAIRO in full Muslim dress year round, they sneer at you when you walk by and I do it

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • sjohn70037
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:32pm

    Let’s see… it’s muslims beating, killing muslims. So where’s the downside?

    Report Post » sjohn70037  
  • muhamadhater
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:02pm

    I just thank GOD im not there or in lybia..And also pray for the innocent lives that are being taken!!
    GOD bless all NON mulim countries!!

    Report Post » muhamadhater  
  • georgeisn6
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:58am

    We should be thankfull that there are some so called dictators who are willing to take out some of our enemy’s, Our goverment will only hurt nations that are freinds of ours.

    Report Post »  
  • georgeisn6
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:50am

    Hillary and The Obummer have made such a success of the operation in Libya, why dont we go and try our hand in Syria, we can bet that the terrorists there will side with us t and let us provide them with arms so they will be equiped to come after us when they have throwen off their dictator.

    Report Post »  
  • sissykatz
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:30am

    Why was Libya more important than Syria???? It can‘t be oil Obama doesn’t want us to have oil anyway. If he is going to buy oil it will be from Brazil so he and Spooky Dude will make more money.

    Obama’s “Not Wars” confuse me……

    Report Post »  
  • mossbrain
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:21am

    We need to hire those security forces to come over here and patrol the black neighborhoods.

    Report Post » mossbrain  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:14am

    I simply spoke my mind and my comment did not appear. Thanks…but Blaze you do have the links I sent you…so pull it together, do your own due diligence and reveal the path the US may take. OTAY?

    Libya was a test case and we passed the test.

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • V-MAN MACE
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:51am

    You can’t “shell” an area with vehicle-mounted machine guns.

    Duh.

    Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
  • ChiefGeorge
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:44am

    Wheres the NATO air strikes? More people have been killed by this government than in Libya? Al Jezeera is getting help from our State dept and BHO.

    Report Post » ChiefGeorge  
  • concealled9mms
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:21am

    Where is the mighty adolph obamma ? Syria has killed so many more of there own then libya yet he goes into libya like he is a tough guy . Fact is his only concern in libya was for the oil sounds familiar dosent it . That is what the left blamed bush for in iraq

    Report Post »  
    • rightwingheroes
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:28am

      Yea and what happened to the “Responsibility To Protect” like in Libya? The people of Syria must not be worthy human beings….according to King Obama anyway….

      Report Post »  
    • Parkeralan
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:36am

      Right on CC9… And can someone please remind me why I should care when one mohammedan beats or kills another mohammedan? Saves us the trouble, keeps ‘em busy so maybe they’ll leave us alone.

      Report Post » Parkeralan  
    • chazman
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:49am

      … stupid Syrian muslims need to be beaten. That’s all they understand. It’s either a dicktator or a monarch that rules the middle eastern countries. Always have. Stupid arabs can’t understand anything else …

      Report Post »  
    • Ookspay
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 4:49pm

      @Chazman, Dude you crack me up, I love reading your posts and am glad to know you are on the side of us Patriots. Muslims do know their violence pretty well, kind of a sado-masochistic thing goin’ on…

      Report Post » Ookspay  
    • chazman
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:03pm

      @OOKSPAY

      The feeling is mutual. I’ve followed yer input too, and I appreciate the callout. I am a Patriot. I have a son in AF, second tour, Marine Corp Sniper, and I haven’t heard from him in almost eight weeks, so I’m a pissed off daddy right now. Last time I talked with him I asked, ‘how things goin’, Son?’ He said to me, ‘the huntin’s pretty good, Dad.’ I just said, ‘stack ’em up, Son!’ He said, ‘that’s what they pay me to do, Dad.’ Semper Fi … dam.

      Report Post »  
    • Ookspay
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:51pm

      Chazman,

      This is a great place to vent and find like minded individuals. Wow Dad, thanks to your son for his brave service. There are many here who pray for him everyday. Hope he comes home safe and soon to the heroes welcome he deserves. Semper Fi my friend…

      Ookspay

      Report Post » Ookspay  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:15am

    Assad has killed far more of his people than Gaddafi had before we went to war against him. Strangely, Obama is mute on this one. Are his Iranian handlers telling him to stay out of it?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Ron Staiger
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:15am

    So what?

    Report Post »  
  • psst
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:00am

    Mr Soeteor, Oh Mr Soetero, have you hoid about this? When you do hear about it, what will you do?
    Ol ‘Bashar is making Khadafi/Ghadafi/Kadafi/Girafi or whatever his name look like a Saint .
    Can’t you please spare a cupla those warplanes from strafing/bombing Khadafi/Ghadafi/Kadafi/Girafi or whatever his name and brung them over to Syria .
    Ooops! Pardon moi. I forgot to remember, Ol‘ Bashar ain’t swimming in Evil Oil.
    Sorry,fergitboutit. My bad.

    Report Post »  
  • Joe_2112
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:54am

    Why do we fking care? Why is The BLAZE pushing the Anti- Syrian propaganda and the Globalist Agenda? Why isn’t the Blaze reporting that the US is funding the uprisings in Syria? Quite naturally the Syrian Government is going to defend itself from US infiltration.

    Report Post »  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:02am

      You care enough to Post a Reply. I’d rather hear more News, than the MSM restricted News.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • Airb0rne4325
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:04pm

      He does have a point. We may not be directly funding the uprising, but we do condone it. The US does not like the Syrian gov’t. In the US’s viewpt, endorse it from afar, little CIA backed anarchy, hope it gets overthrown and try to manipulate the new regime coming into power. Easier that way and no “boots on the ground”. Got aquant’s from Syria and they tell a different story than the media coverage that we are seeing here. Don’t get me wrong, I do condone the overthrow of that gov’t and I believe that the people there would be better off. Just think we are more involved than we tell ourselves we are.

      As far as Lybia, France thought you said Labia and went after it.

      Oil. France gets it oil from that part of the world and we got involved b/c we just love the Frogs. Knock out that regime, manipulate the new one coming into power, negotiate a better deal.

      Report Post » Airb0rne4325  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:47am

    And we want to stop them because…?

    Report Post » biohazard23  
    • SamIamTwo
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:58am

      Syria calls on UN to thwart Israel‘s ’separation fence’ on Golan Heights

      http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/syria-calls-on-un-to-thwart-israel-s-separation-fence-on-golan-heights-1.378642

      I’d just nuke em today and you all could hang me for it and be done with all the collective consensuses crap.

      Report Post » SamIamTwo  
    • Ari Ben TZion
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 10:00am

      In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Muslim Iraq fought a war against its neighbor, Muslim Iran in which over 1 million Muslim men died at the hands of other Muslims.

      Then, Muslim Iraq invaded another neighbor, Muslim Kuwait and raped, maimed and killed thousands of Muslim Kuwaiti citizens.

      Let’s not even mention Kyrgyzstan.

      More Muslims have been killed at the hands of other Muslims than by any other group in history.

      Islam is a necrophile culture – it’s what they do.

      Report Post » Ari Ben TZion  
  • pscully17
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:46am

    My local papers presshearld.com article on the Debt committees members all being from major defense department contract states Mich, washington, Pennsylvania… the article and most comments are fo the destruction of our defense department COMPLEX… really? so you condone allowing Asaad and other brutal regimes free reign in killing teir own people? Who needs the Mititary industrial complex here to stop the massive murdering of people.? I say, we should let every dictator in the world continue to slaughter the defnseless masses. its not our job to stop attocities like this, or the holocaust..or genocide/ethnic cleansing…. its too expensive and too much work/trouble. i would prefer a much more lazy, and complacent government, and we should just sit back an d allow evry 2 bit regime access to nukes and encourage them to build a super-coalition of anti-American armies for the subsequent invasion and destruction of our own country. Yes, im totally in favor of that!!! NOT!!!

    Report Post »  
  • ddg7
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:40am

    In Syria they’re called militants. In Libya they’re called rebels. In England their called rioters. They have only the news reporters to blame whether they get shot, bombed, or jailed.

    Report Post »  
    • rose-ellen
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 11:49am

      In reality they are freedom fighters just like alquada who we call terrorists were too. We should be helping the syrian people topple this evil regime and that we don’t makes us mass murdering hypocrites ourselves after all we killed and tortured in iraq and pakistan and afghanistan in the name of human rights.

      Report Post »  
    • My Two Cents
      Posted on August 15, 2011 at 12:33pm

      ROSE-ELLEN: Any killing we have done in Afghanistan has been done in the name of the victims of 911. Freedom fighters don’t murder innocent civilians in foreign nations by flying planes into buildings. You are an idiot.

      Report Post »  
  • let us prey
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:37am

    No rubber bullets there.

    Report Post » let us prey  
  • randy
    Posted on August 15, 2011 at 9:36am

    Just let them kill eachother

    Report Post » randy  
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