Activists say Syrian security forces killed at least 13 people in anti-government protests on Friday. They say forces used live ammunition on demonstrators in areas including Damascus suburbs and the flashpoint central province of Homs. Activists took to the streets under the banner of “death rather than humiliation” as they renewed calls for President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation. One rally took place outside of the home of Adnan Bakkour, the attorney general for Hama province. In a video released Wednesday, Bakkour said he resigned to protest the government’s deadly crackdown on dissent. The Syrian government says Bakkour was kidnapped and made that statement under duress. Witnesses said security forces surrounded some mosques Friday in an effort to prevent protesters from taking to the streets after midday prayers. Meanwhile, the European Union has banned oil imports from Syria. The EU said Friday the move is designed to increase pressure on President Assad for his crackdown on dissent. The United Nations estimates 2,200 people have been killed since March in the Syrian government’s crackdown on dissent. However, Syria has blamed much of the deadly violence on armed gangs and “terrorists.” The state-run SANA news agency said Friday that two “terrorists” had confessed to giving false information and videos to al-Jazeera television network concerning recent unrest. Separately, France announced Friday that it is working to develop contacts with Syria’s opposition. The U.S. and Britain have demanded strict new international sanctions to force Assad from office. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.
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Saudi police open fire at protest (AP)
CAIRO – Saudi police opened fire Thursday to disperse a protest in the mainly Shiite east, leaving at least one man injured, as the government struggled to prevent a wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world from reaching the kingdom. The rare violence raised concern about a crackdown ahead of more planned protests after Friday prayers in different cities throughout the oil-rich kingdom. The pro-Western monarchy is concerned protests could open footholds for Shiite powerhouse Iran and has accused foreigners of stoking the protests, which are officially forbidden. Despite the ban and a warning that security forces will act against them, protesters demanding the release of political prisoners took to the streets for a second day in the eastern city of Qatif. Several hundred protesters, some wearing face masks to avoid being identified, marched after dark asking for “Freedom for prisoners.” Police, who were lined up opposite the protesters, fired percussion bombs, followed by gunfire, causing the crowd to scatter, a witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of government retaliation. The witness said at least one protester was injured and lifted by others to a car for treatment. It was not clear how the protester was injured. Scores of protesters in Qatif had also marched in the city streets Wednesday night. Mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia has struggled to stay ahead of the unrest that has led to the ouster of the Egyptian and Tunisian leaders in recent months. Last month, the ultra-conservative government announced an unprecedented economic package worth an estimated $36 billion that will give Saudis interest-free home loans, unemployment assistance and debt forgiveness. It also has reiterated that demonstrations are forbidden in the kingdom because they contradict Islamic laws and society’s values and said security forces were authorized to act against anyone violating the ban. So far the demonstrations have been small and concentrated in the east among Shiites demanding the release of detainees. But activists have been emboldened by other uprisings have set up Facebook groups calling for protests in the capital, Riyadh, on Friday to demand democratic reforms. One such group garnered more than 30,000 supporters. The spread of calls for protests, particularly outside the generally tense eastern Saudi Arabia, home to the country’s Shiite minority, has prompted government officials to issue strong warnings that it will act against activists taking to the streets. Amnesty International called on Saudi authorities to reverse the ban on peaceful protests in the kingdom. Philip Luther, a spokesman for the international rights group, said authorities should address the need for major human rights reforms and heed the growing calls for change instead of trying to intimidate protesters. “Reports that the Saudi authorities plan to deploy troops to police upcoming demonstrations are very worrying,” he said. The Interior Ministry has banned demonstrations, saying they contradict Islamic laws and society’s values and adding that some people have tried to go around the law to “achieve illegitimate aims.” “Reform cannot be achieved through protests … The best way to achieve demands is through national dialogue,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saudi al-Faisal said Wednesday. Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter , become a fan on Facebook
Tags: city, demonstrations, Egyptian, facebook, government, interior, minister-prince, release, streets, world
