Syrian security forces killed 10 people on Friday when they opened fire on protesters in several cities, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. “Ten demonstrators were killed today,” said Rahman. The toll included seven in Dael on the outskirts of Daraa, a flashpoint town in the south, a demonstrator in Saqba on the outskirts of Damascus a demonstrator in the Al-Qadam neighbourhood of Damascus and another on the outskirts of Aleppo.
“There were massive demonstrations in several Syrian cities despite a significant deployment of security forces,” Rahman said, including a rally in Deir Ezzor, “the largest since military operations ended there in August.” Syrians also staged demonstrations in the northwestern province of Idlib, the central region of Homs, the coastal city of Latakia, and the capital Damascus, the Observatory said. Pro-democracy activists called for nationwide demonstrations on Friday in support of “free soldiers” – a reference to defectors – after 36 people, including 25 soldiers, were killed in clashes across the country on Thursday.
