Syria: troops ‘open fire on protesters’

The Syrian government has deployed troops to the country’s main port of Latakia for the first time, after confirming that 12 people were killed there in the latest wave of violence.

State TV showed streets in the north-western port city littered with debris, broken glass and burnt-out vehicles.

The government has blamed the unrest on unnamed “armed groups”, possibly backed by foreign powers. But witnesses in Latakia say pro-government forces started the clashes.

In the southern city of Deraa, where the protests began, a witness said forces shot at demonstrators who had converged on a main square in the city, chanting “We want dignity and freedom” and “No to emergency laws”.

The Syrian Embassy in London has denied those reports. Spokesman Jihad Makdissi told Channel 4 News it was “completely untrue.”

“The Syrian News Agency SANA has just denied this report. The Syrian security forces have clear instructions not to use any sort of live ammunition under any circumstances,” he said.

“The Syrian security forces have clear instructions not to use any sort of live ammunition under any circumstances.” Jihad Makdissi, Spokesman for the Syrian Embassy in London

He added: “There is proof that 10 of them were killed yesterday by protesters in the city of Latakia.”

President Bashar al-Assad is yet to make a public announcement following two weeks of protests.

But his Vice President – Farouq al-Shara – said on Monday that President Assad would announce important decisions in the next two days that will “please the Syrian people”.

Calls to end violence
The Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, said he had spoken to President al-Assad twice in the last three days and urged him to listen to his people.

Mr Erdogan, speaking at Ankara airport, said he “did not receive a negative answer” when he suggested Assad meet some of the demands of pro-democracy protesters.

“He said they were working on lifting the state of emergency to meet demands. They told us they were working on political parties.

“He said they were working on lifting the state of emergency to meet demands. We hope these measures are actually implemented rather than remaining promises.” Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey

“We hope these measures are actually implemented rather than remaining promises. I hope he makes the announcement today or tomorrow.”

“It is impossible for us to remain silent in the face of these events, we have a 800 km long border with Syria,” he said.

Deadly protests spread
There were protests in several Syrian towns and cities on Friday and Saturday.

Thousands took to the streets in Tafas, north of Deraa, to bury three protesters who witnesses said had been killed by security forces on Friday.

Protesters also set fire to Baath party offices and a police station.

Crowds of protesters in Deraa climbed a statue of the late President Hafez Assad, using weapons to try to topple the monument.

Witnesses said major cities appeared calm on Sunday, but several hundred men were holding a sit-in at the Omari Mosque in the town of Deraa.

No ‘Libya-style’ intervention
The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned the bloodshed, but said a Libya-style intervention should not be expected.

“Each of these situations is unique,” she said. “Certainly we deplore the violence in Syria. We call as we have on all of these governments … to be responding to their people’s needs, not to engage in violence, permit peaceful protests and begin a process of economic and political reform.”

The latest violence follows anti-government protests in the southern city of Deraa and nearby Sanamein, with reports saying dozens of people were killed.

Protesters are demanding the government lift its state of emergency and grant greater political freedoms and civil liberties.

The protests against President Assad’s 11-year rule came to a head after police detained more than a dozen schoolchildren for scrawling pro-democracy graffiti inspired by the uprisings across the Arab world.

Activists released
Political activist Diana Jawabra and 15 others were arrested for taking part in a silent protest demanding their release.

But in a bid to ease public anger, Syrian authorities announced their release on Saturday. Another 260 other political prisoners were also freed.

The pro-democracy protests are said to pose the greatest threat to Syria’s Baath party, which has been in power for 48 years.