Syrian military lays siege to Homs, Deraa, Baniyas and other cities
Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Syrian military has surrounded Muadhamiya, a western suburb of Damascus. Local sources reported gunfire and saw clouds of black smoke rising from the area. As they usually do during a crackdown, security forces cut off power and phone lines.
Syrian forces continued their action against anti-government protests in Homs, in Deraa and the coastal city of Baniyas. In Homs, gunfire could be heard throughout the day. Locals reported a number of arrests and deaths, including that of a 12-year-old boy. The information could not be independently confirmed because foreign journalists have been barred from the country.
Today, in Homs, ground troops backed by tanks have taken up positions across the city to prevent people from organising mass protests.
According to some reports, security forces were going house to house to arrest people.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday that the areas of Bab Sebaa, Bab Amro and Tal al-Sour were under "total siege", and that hundreds had been arrested. The same is true for Deraa where the curfew was lifted for a few hours to allow people to buy food.
Two people were killed in Deir al-Zour on the Euphrates, another report said.
The Syrian human rights group, Sawasiah, believes more than 800 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests began in March.
In the meantime, people continue to die in Yemen as well. Three anti-Saleh pro-democracy demonstrators were killed yesterday as tens of thousands of people continue to protest across the country.
The Six-party opposition coalition is waiting for the government to sign an agreement that was worked out through the mediation of Gulf nations in order to solve the current political crisis. However, if the government does not sign in two days, the opposition will join protesters in the streets.
In Morocco, thousands of protesters marched on Sunday to demand reform in the Arab world's longest-serving dynasty and to oppose militant violence after a deadly bomb attack.
Protesters, about 8,000 of them, took to the streets of Marrakesh to demand the release of those who were arrested in previous demonstrations as well as action against corruption and for better social conditions.
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