Violence continued today in Syria, with reports having at least five members of the security forces killed, as well as three additional civilian protesters. A large number of injuries were also reported.
This included a number of injured children. As the protests have grown a large number schoolchildren are now taking part, and in several villages reports have local security forces beating the kids along with the rest of the protesters.
As always, all eyes are on the major Friday protests this week, and reports have Syrian troops massing in several major protest cities, including Hama, Homs and Daraa. The protesters say this will not change their plans to demonstrate.
And it would be surprising if it did. For the best several months the regime has been meeting pro-democracy activists with violence, and each attack seems to spawn an even bigger protest in its wake. Though violence clearly isn’t working, officials don’t seem to have figured out any other strategy.