Affrontements à Hama, Kafr Nabl, Damas, Homs, Idlib : plus de 60 morts – 3 juin 2011

More than 60 killed in deadliest day of Syria protests

haaretz.com

04.06.11

Rights groups say security forces have killed more than 1,000 civilians, provoking international outrage at Assad’s ruthless handling of the demonstrators.

Syrian forces killed at least 63 civilians in attacks to crush pro-democracy demonstrations on Friday, the Syrian human rights organization Sawasiah said on Saturday.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets after noon prayers on Friday in defiance of security forces determined to crush a revolt against President Bashar Assad’s 11-year rule.

Sawasiah said 53 demonstrators were killed in the city of Hama, one in Damascus and two in the northwestern province of Idlib.

Seven people were also killed in the town of Rastan in central Syria, which has been under a military assault and a siege by tanks since Sunday.

It was one of the bloodiest days since the revolt broke out 11 weeks ago.

Security forces and snipers fired at tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city of Hama, where 29 years ago President Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father, crushed an armed Islamist revolt by killing up to 30,000 people and razing parts of the city to the ground.

Activists said at least 34 people were killed and scores wounded.

« The firing began from rooftops on the demonstrators. I saw scores of people falling in Assi square and the streets and alleyways branching out. Blood was everywhere, » a witness who gave his name as Omar told Reuters from Hama.

« It looked to me as if hundreds of people have been injured but I was in a panic and wanted to find cover. Funerals for the martyrs have alrady started, » he said.

In the southern city of Deraa, where protests first broke out 11 weeks ago, hundreds defied a military curfew and held protests, chanting « No dialogue with killers », two residents in the city told Reuters. The protest later broke up.

Syrian forces also opened fire on demonstrations in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor and in Damascus’ Barzeh district.

« Tens of thousands turned up in Hama and Idlib in the biggest demonstrations since the uprising began. This is a natural reaction to the increased killings and lack of seriousness by the regime for any national reconciliation, » said Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

One person was killed in Idlib, he said.

Activists and residents said thousands of people marched in the northwestern province of Idlib, Kurdish northeast, several Damascus suburbs, the cities of Homs and Hama and the towns of Madaya and Zabadani in the west. Read more…

La répression continue en Syrie : Bain de sang hier à Hama

elwatan.com

04.06.11

Des dizaines de milliers de manifestants ont battu le pavé hier dans les rues syriennes, en particulier à Hama. Les forces de sécurité n’ont pas hésité à ouvrir le feu.

Bilan : au moins 34 personnes ont été tuées et des dizaines blessées dans cette région du centre du pays.

Les manifestants, 50 000 à Hama, selon Rami Abderrahmane, directeur de l’Observatoire syrien des droits de l’homme, espéraient rendre hommage aux enfants tués dans la répression de la contestation contre le régime Al Assad.

Au nord du pays, des dizaines de milliers de personnes venues des environs se sont rassemblées à Maaret al Nouman. Plus de 5 500 personnes ont également manifesté à Qamichli, Amouda et Ras Al Aïn, a affirmé Hassan Berro, un militant kurde des droits de l’homme, cité par l’AFP. Sur la côte ouest, 5 000 personnes ont manifesté à Banias (ouest). Et dans le sud, les forces de sécurité ont tiré en l’air pour disperser une manifestation à Jassem, près de Deraa, l’épicentre de la révolte, selon un militant des droits de l’homme. A Damas et dans des localités proches, des milliers de manifestants étaient aussi réunis, selon, Abdel Karim Rihaoui, chef de la Ligue syrienne des droits de l’homme. Lire la suite…