Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Syria on Friday and were again met by violent crackdowns from security forces, particularly in the city of Daraa where rights groups report forces opening fire into massive crowds of demonstrators.
At least 37 protesters were killed nationwide, and 25 of those in Daraa alone. Several hundred others were also wounded. The toll is the one of the worst since protests began in Syria, but the enormous size of the rallies suggests that each crackdown only strengthens the resolve of the protesters.
On the other hand, Syria’s state-run TV claimed that 19 security forces members were killed by “gunmen” affiliated with the rallies. The government has been accusing the protesters of being “armed gangs” rather than reformists, but this is the first specific claim of police deaths from them.
Though the accuracy of the claims could not be confirmed, it has raised concerns among human rights groups that the sudden announcement will be used as a pretext for even more violent measures against calls for reform. Already early Saturday there were reports of forces firing on funerals for the slain.
Where are the no-fly zones in Syria, Mr. Obama?
Wait! How can this be happening? Hillary says Assad is a reformer! Are you sure you have the right country?
Well, if so many people can be killed by a reformer, just imagine how high the death toll would have been if Assad was a ruthless tyrant! I shudder to think.
Fortunately for the Syrian regime, people get angry only when it's Jews who kill Arabs (even ones who fire anti-tank missiles at schoolbuses carrying 50 children, which Gazan jihadists just did). And since Syria isn't a major oil producer, a no-fly zone seems unlikely. So carry on with the "reforming", Assad!
NeoNazi Liebermann licks his jowls with joy at the prospect of killing more Arabs
they have no oil, who cares!
The driver was hurt and 1 student was moderately hurt, and it wasn't purposely targeted…. Meanwhile Israel slaughters 17 civillians, and mowed down 1500 civillians in their last major assault, and not a peep.
You're a shameless liar, which means you qualify for membership in the global anti-Israel brotherhood.
Shameless Lie #1: OF COURSE they were targeting a schoolbus. Are you saying these terrorists are so dumb they thought a bus was actually a tank??? And it doesn't matter that the kids escaped harm. The INTENT is what matters.
Shameless Lie #2: Israel didn't "mow down" 1500 civilians. Funny how that number just keeps getting bigger and bigger! A few hundred civilians died, none of whom were targeted, all of whom were endangered by the same evil thugs who intentionally try to blow up kids in buses and cut the throats of settler babies. These bastards WANT Israel to attack, as any country inevitably would if it was THEIR territory being bombarded with rockets on a daily basis, their children sent scurrying into bomb shelters constantly. The death toll is the work of Hamas. The blame lies with THEM. They're in the business of provoking Israeli attacks that unintentionally harm civilians. Iran's regime and Hamas (and Hezbollah) are the ones who want innocent Arabs to die.