At Least Eight Killed in Syrian Crackdowns

Protesters took to the streets nationwide in Syria again on Friday, with the latest demonstrations center on the theme of “patience and determination.” As usual, the protests were met with violent crackdowns, with at least eight reported slain.

Witnesses on the ground reported that the military used live fire against demonstrators, while reports out of Deir Azzour claim that pro-regime militants were using Red Crescent cars to sneak up on and capture protesters.

The crackdowns in Syria have sparked a growing international condemnation, but so far the UN Security Council has been reluctant to agree on a statement against it, with fear it would be used as a pretext for a Libya-style attack.

The Russian government, however, is said to have introduced a new draft resolution that would compete with the Western version. The Russian draft would not impose sanctions but instead would call for talks and reforms.