At Least 17 Killed in Syria as Forces Fire on Protesters
At least 17 people were killed in Syria Friday as security forces fired on protesters rallying against President Bashar al-Assad's government.
News reports quote witnesses and activists who say security forces fired live rounds at protesters in the central city of Homs, killing at least seven.
One person was reportedly shot dead in the southern village of Sanamein, while another was killed in the Damascus suburb of Daraya. Warning shots were also fired at demonstrators in the Mediterranean port of Banias.
Meanwhile, protesters took to the streets in several other cities. The French news agency AFP quoted the head of a Kurdish rights group as saying some held olive branches as they called for more freedom.
The accounts could not be independently verified as Syria has banned foreign journalists from the country.
Syrian rights activists say more than 850 civilians have been killed since mid-March, when protesters began calling for democratic reforms and Mr. Assad's ouster. Authorities have arrested at least 7,000 people as part of a government crackdown.
On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on Assad and six of his aides. The U.S. said it was holding them personally accountable for the deadly attacks by the security forces.
In a major speech on the Middle East Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama called on the Syrian president to lead a transition to democracy or "get out of the way."
Syria's official news agency said Obama's address amounted to incitement. The Syrian government has blamed the unrest on armed gangs and foreign agitators.
fuente: http://www.voanews.com/
News reports quote witnesses and activists who say security forces fired live rounds at protesters in the central city of Homs, killing at least seven.
One person was reportedly shot dead in the southern village of Sanamein, while another was killed in the Damascus suburb of Daraya. Warning shots were also fired at demonstrators in the Mediterranean port of Banias.
Meanwhile, protesters took to the streets in several other cities. The French news agency AFP quoted the head of a Kurdish rights group as saying some held olive branches as they called for more freedom.
The accounts could not be independently verified as Syria has banned foreign journalists from the country.
Syrian rights activists say more than 850 civilians have been killed since mid-March, when protesters began calling for democratic reforms and Mr. Assad's ouster. Authorities have arrested at least 7,000 people as part of a government crackdown.
On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on Assad and six of his aides. The U.S. said it was holding them personally accountable for the deadly attacks by the security forces.
In a major speech on the Middle East Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama called on the Syrian president to lead a transition to democracy or "get out of the way."
Syria's official news agency said Obama's address amounted to incitement. The Syrian government has blamed the unrest on armed gangs and foreign agitators.
fuente: http://www.voanews.com/
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