Thousands-strong Funerals for Syrian Protestors Killed Friday
Thousands-strong funeral processions filed out of mosques and past closed shops in the central Syrian city of Hama on Saturday, as mourners buried dozens of protesters shot dead by security forces a day before.
A Syrian human rights activist increased Friday's death toll among protesters to 63, up from an initial count of 48. Most of the dead were killed in Hama after troops opened fire on crowds.
Mustafa Osso also said Saturday that the Internet had been mostly restored, a day after authorities shut it down.
At least 1,270 people have been killed since an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in mid-March, according to the Local Coordination Committees, which helps organize and document Syria's protests.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that at least 48 people were killed in Hama, which has become a new center for protest and violence. In 1982, the Syrian regime heavily bombed the city to crush an uprising, killing thousands.
After noon prayers, tens of thousands of people streamed out of mosques carrying coffins of the dead and headed toward the two city's main cemeteries, said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the rights group's director.
Friday's protests appeared to be the biggest since the uprising began, with people gathering in ever larger numbers in cities and towns across the country, Abdul-Rahman said.
Hama residents said most shops were closed to protest the shootings.
"People are in a state of shock," a resident, who spoke by telephone, said on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisals. "God knows whether they will kill more people during the funerals."
Witnesses' reports could not be independently verified. The Syrian government has severely restricted the media and expelled foreign reporters, making it nearly impossible to independently verify what is happening there.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said authorities released a leading opposition figure Saturday. Ali Abdullah of the Damascus Declaration Group had been jailed since 2007.
Authorities have released hundreds of political prisoners this week after Assad issued a general amnesty Tuesday.
almost 13 years
Dakhilak ma zhe2et! you are speaking nothing then nonsense. I think you should find a hobby and stop being a political expert.
almost 13 years
now qatar is in on it WAHAHAHAHA WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHAHAHA SHIITE BRO FENICIEN YOU KILL ME!!!!!!! ouff, as i told u the last time we saw each others at the husseiniya try to go on lol ul slay them, figuratively of course keep ur exploding belts here haha.yalla see u at the husseiniya u can rehearse ur bit with the imam and the ikhwan.
almost 13 years
two devils of the same coin:wahhabies and faqihi farsis,and bilad el arz vanquished the two calamities.
like hakim says:"tahaluf el aquallyet" is the most retarded idea in this region.
lebanon is prevailing god bless our 10452.
as for el shaqiqa:there is no more something called the syrian army,there is brigades who for the last 40 years just battled the lebanese people and now the syrian people. bilad el arz. are the baraka of this orient
almost 13 years
The more Assad kills people, the closer it is to the end. He is as good as finished
almost 13 years
every country ruled by a holly book (evangile , coran , tora or bible ) is no good
people should be ruled by the RULE OF LAW
almost 13 years
Islamic extremism be it wahabist or Iranian styled is a threat to all and first of all to Muslims.
The Syrian revolution might have extremist compnents but is mainly a revolution against oppression and corruption. The criminal regime of the Assads is cornered and will use the sectarian card to divide Syria if the revolution continues.
Whatever the outcome Syria will not be the same and will no longer have the power to interfere in Lebanese affairs or to collude with the Iranian plans in the region.
In the few coming month the evil plans of "alwaly alfaqeeh" will fall apart and the arm of Iran in the arab world will be amputated.
almost 13 years
The most interesting aspect of the last protests was the burning of the Russian, Chinese and Iranian flags.
When FiFi predicts something, I feel confident that it will not happen.
His strategies all come down from the Aouni school of thought.
Which till today have a 100% failure rate.
If only their disastrous decisions would affect them and not the entire Christian population.
almost 13 years
@Le Phenicien: NO THIS IS NOT A SUNNI COUP D'ETAT (I wish). This is a Wahabi Salafi armed mercenary gang supported by Israel, the USA and the West in general (weapons pouring to Lebanon and then smuggled to Syria) and being used as a away to pressure the Syrian regime to abandon its support for Hizbullah. The aim is not to change the regime. Never. The regime is here to stay.The aim is to change the regime's policies vis-a-vis the resistance.When this happens, it will qualify by their standards to be one of the best democracies in the middle east.
almost 13 years
"yousef Haddad" the overwhelming majority in this region consider Israel and zionists like you the biggest threat in the region that need to be liquidated...not wahabism or Khominiasm
almost 13 years
Le Phenicien: I would say you are one of those Lebanese Christians living abroad denying their true identity...we are arabs first of all, we have been living here in the middle east for ages side by side with our neighbors (Shiaa, Sunni, Druz...) in peace. How many times israel waged wars against lebanon and how many times our sunni lebanese opened their homes and hearts for us (i'm from south)..
This is the result of the Saudi Wahhaby Salafi politics in Syria and in the whole Arab islamic world . The Muslims have gone back 3 000 years in 6 months with their so called revolutions for freedom !!
This is nothing but a SUNNI coup d'état , financed by KSA , Qatar and UAE , to fight Christians and Shiias , and unfortunately helped by the " Christian " West !
The Alaouite régime will remain in power in Syria despite all the thousands of deaths annouced for the coming days and months .. We should pray in Lebanon to keep the Alaouite Bashar in power in Syria , and not to have a Sunni Salafi régime that will demolish Churches and Hussayniyah in our country ..