Syrian forces kill 40, protesters demand international protection

FE Team | Published: October 30, 2011 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

AMMAN, Oct 29 (Reuters): Syrian forces shot dead at least 40 civilians Friday when they fired on demonstrators demanding international protection from President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on pro-democracy protests, activists and residents said. Tens of protesters were also wounded and hundreds arrested in one of the bloodiest days in seven months of protests demanding an end to 41 years of Assad family rule, prompting Arab ministers to send Assad their strongest message yet calling for an end to civilian killings. The Arab League's committee on the Syrian crisis said Friday it had sent an "urgent message ... to the Syrian government expressing its severe discontent for the continued killing of Syrian civilians." The committee said in a statement it had "expressed the hope that the Syrian government would take action to protect civilians." Arab ministers are due to meet Syrian officials Sunday in the Qatari capital of Doha. Most of Friday's killings occurred in the central cities of Hama, where Assad sent tanks and troops to crush large demonstrations three months ago, and Homs, a centre of protests and an increasingly armed opposition to his autocratic rule. "A no-fly zone is a legitimate demand for Homs," read banners carried by protesters in the Khalidiya neighbourhood. NATO warplanes played a central role in the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, but the Western alliance has shown no appetite to intervene in Syria to halt violence which the United Nations says has killed 3,000 people. Syria's opposition National Council has called for international protection. It has not explicitly requested military intervention, although street protesters have increasingly voiced that demand. Assad has not used warplanes against protesters and a no-fly zone would have little impact on the crackdown unless -- as in the case of Libya -- pilots attacked his ground forces and military bases. The anti-Assad protesters have been energized by Gaddafi's death last week. The demonstrations have spread to the countryside since tanks stormed several cities three months ago, forcing protesters to change their tactics of assembling in main squares and large, open spaces. Authorities organized big pro-Assad demonstrations this week, with tens of thousands rallying in Damascus and the eastern town of Hasaka Wednesday, and more pouring on to streets of the Mediterranean city of Latakia Thursday. School children and public employees were ordered to attend.