Protesters once again massed in the streets of Syria for a Friday protest today, with troops opening fire and killing at least 17 people nationwide. Today’s slogan, in keeping with the protesters’ desire to name every Friday rally, was “death rather than humiliation.”
In addition to the usual attacks on the streets and international promises of additional sanctions, fighting was also reported in the nation’s hospitals, where troops moved to capture wounded and in some cases even slain protesters.
Protesters are reporting that going to the hospital is an extremely dangerous matter, with security forces in control of most public health care. They also claim that medical workers have in some cases even abused wounded protesters.
The explanation, they say, is that most of the nation’s doctors of from the Alawite minority, which is the same sect that President Assad belongs. He enjoys considerable support in this group.
