Syrian security forces shot and killed at least three protesters on Friday and clashes erupted near the Turkish border, as a day-old ceasefire between the government and opposition showed signs of unraveling.
Mass opposition protests swelled in several flashpoint areas across Syria. Activists say government forces fired on demonstrators at several locations, including in the protest hub of Hama.
Activist groups and Turkish villagers say Syrian troops and rebel forces clashed near the Turkish border. Some of the fighting was reportedly heavy.
The unrest erupted a day after the Syrian government said it would abide by a cease-fire brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. The plan calls for the government to withdraw forces from urban areas and end its violent year-old crackdown on dissent.
It also calls for rebels to stop fighting.
The Syrian government said it would only respond to attacks launched by armed militants. But Hama opposition activist Samir al-Husain told VOA that Friday's shootings in the city were unprovoked.
“There wasn't shooting by the FSA, Free Syrian Army. There were only peaceful demonstrators coming out after Friday prayer like usual, like every Friday. Once they started chanting against the regime, there was shooting at them.”
Diplomats said the U.N. Security Council was poised to vote as early as Friday on deploying an advance team of up to 30 observers to Syria.
Western nations have been pushing the Security Council to send two waves of observers to Syria to monitor and enforce the cease-fire. A draft resolution calls for Syria to give the observers full and unimpeded freedom of movement across the country.
It also demands Syria withdraw troops and heavy weapons from population centers.
Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support, a Netherlands-based group, said Friday's clashes are no accident on the part of the Syrian army.
“The Syrian regular army is attempting to finish this situation as soon as possible. And they are trying to finish those people. What we have heard is the Syrian army is moved to looking for those groups.”
The U.N. says more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria's unrest over the past year.
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1. (Turkish) VILLAGER GULCAN SALAK SAYING:
“We heard gunfire in the morning and we were afraid. All the villagers were frightened.''
2. (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED YOUNG SYRIAN REFUGEE SAYING:
“We do not believe in the lies of Assad. We do not think he will silence the guns and set Syrian people free.''
Pam Dockins interview with Syrian anti-government activist and Hama News Agency reporter Samir al-Husain, in Hama.
CN SYRIA HUSAIN 1
“There wasn't shooting by the FSA, Free Syrian Army. There were only peaceful demonstrators coming out after Friday prayer like usual, like every Friday. Once they started chanting against the regime, there was shooting at them.”
Jeff Seldin interview with Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support, a group in the Netherlands affiliated with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights saved as “CN Syria – Sipan Hasan interview” in House Shared Friday. The following actualities are saved as “CN Syria – Sipan Hasan 8 acts” in House Shared Friday:
1. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“It was a deployed of military forces with tanks and some personnel carriers and the military of Syria around the village whose called Khirbet el-Joz.”
2. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“We're hearing of some heavy shooting and trying to break the place of armed groups who have been defected from Syrian army.”
3. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“There was very heavy fighting between the Syrian regular army and the defected groups in Khirbet el Joz and until this moment we are still waiting for the result of this fighting. How much have been killed we still don't know.”
4. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“The Syrian regular army is attempting to finish this situation as soon as possible. And they are trying to finish those people. What we have heard is the Syrian army is moved to looking for those groups.”
5. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“They know if they (the Syrian regime) stop the killing people there will have no chance to survive and the regime will go. So that's the most important point in all of this matter. Staying of Syrian regime is connected to the continuing killing of people.”
6. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“We expect a very big demonstration, a very large demonstration. We expect if Syrian authorities stop killing people and stop using tanks and his armed forces, we expect millions of Syrian people will be in the streets.”
7. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“We know the regime is never respecting its own promises and what he promises he is never keeping his word.”
8. (English) Sipan Hasan with the Syrian Center for Democracy Support
“Basher al-Assad, everyone has tried him and every one knows that this man, he will never keep his word and he will never stop with killing of the Syrian people.”
