This is the summary of development of May 12. Technical problems with Blogger delayed publishing. Summary of Friday May 13 developments will be posted in few hours.
As suffering grows, so does defiance. As impunity prevails, so does yearning for salvation. Protesters are tearing their way out of the Belly of the Beast.
Thursday 12, 2011
Assad army units and security forces continue their attempt to reestablish control over all rebellious communities in the South, including Tafas, Al-Harra, Jassem and Ankhel. Heavy gunfire and shelling has been reported in all of these communities, and snipers have taken up positions in many streets and are said to be responsible for dozens of fatalities, though no final casualty reports are available yet. Houses have been raided and robbed.
Deraa City itself, despite continuing military siege and the presence of army troops on the streets, witnessed sizeable demonstrations as people protested their deteriorating living conditions. Army troops met these demonstrations with gunfire and later renewed shelling of the city center.
Several thousand Syrian Kurds demonstrated in Kobani in Northern Syria calling for lifting the siege on cities and chanting Azadi, Azadi “Freedom, Freedom”
A women protest in Banyas was dispersed by army units using gunfire. The women were demanding release of their menfolk.
A major student protest took part near the University of Aleppo, with over 2,000 participants calling for ending the siege of Deraaa, Banyas and Homs. Security forces moved to quickly cut off the demonstration and prevent its expansion by sealing off the main streets leading to the university. Authorities used tear gas to disperse the protesters, many arrests were reported.
The country-wide detention campaign continues, with prominent activist Najaty Tayara joining the ranks of the detained.
The cities of Jableh, Banyas, Lattakia, the Damascene suburbs of Mouaddamiyyeh and Douma as well parts of Homs remain under siege.
Links
Videos
Deraa City: the video is from April 27, but has only now surfaced on account of the siege. It shows a mother and her son who were hit by sniper fire while riding on a motorcycle, the favorite mode of transport in smaller Syrian cities and towns, on their way to the local hospital. Though the two are dead, the protesters risk their lives to retrieve the bodies in order to ensure proper burial, and that the bodies are not ‘snatched” and hidden by security forces. It’s a Deraa take on the old “no man left behind” philosophy.
Kobani: Azadi “Freedom”
Homs / Ghouta: “We take death over humiliation” “Freedom calls for death”
“We don’t love you, so leave us and take your party with you”
“The people want to topple the regime”
Aleppo: demonstration at the University of Aleppo
Homs / Boustan Al-Diwan: a funeral turns into anti-regime protests. “Syrian Media lie” “The people want to topple the regime”
Lattakia / Sheikh Dhaher: Joul Jammal High School turned into a detention center
Lattakia: security forces and Shabbiha gangs patrolling the streets
Idlib / Mouarrat Al-Nouman: an anti-regime demonstration. “The people want to topple the regime”
Homs / Bab Amr: Damaged buildings
Homs: funeral of Maher Naqrour. “Bye Bye Bashar”
“Muslims and Christians, National Unity”
“The people want to topple the regime”
Deraa: funeral. “The people want to topple the regime”
Banyas / Marqab / May 7: a women’s protest ended when several women were shot by snipers.
Hama: security firing at protesters
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