city of Latakia, the fourth day of an assault which has killed
dozens and forced thousands of Palestinian refugees to flee,
activists said.
A senior Palestinian official described the military offensive
condemnation of President Bashar al-Assad'scrackdown on popular
After five months of unrest, Assad, from Syria's minority
"Heavy machinegun fire and explosions hit al-Raml al-Filistini
districts of Latakia told Reuters by telephone. Many Palestinian
Firing subsided but intermittent tank fire continued.
The Syrian Revolution Coordinating Union, an activists' group,
said six people were killed in Latakia on Monday, bringing the
A senior Palestinian official condemned the violence, which the
Palestinians to flee the Al Raml refugee camp in Latakia.
secretary general, said.
Syrian soldiers raise their weapons while holding a picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as they leave Deir al-Zour following a 10-day military operation on August 16. Protesters opposed to Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad’s rule defied government forces and
including the blockaded port city of Latakia, an activist said.
Gunfire was heard and security forces made many arrests,
Al Arabiya
said, citing activists.
plenty of carnage in the city of Latakia being inflicted on
innocents by Syrian armor, by Syrian snipers, by Syrian security
State Department spokeswoman,
At least one person was killed in Deir al-Zour late
yesterday and two died in Homs, Merhi said. people have been killed since the uprising against Assad began
Organization for Human Rights in Syria. Protests began after revolts ousted
Sunnis Targeted
Demonstrators took the streets of Syria’s capital,
fire that targeted Sunni Muslim areas, Merhi said. The
Assad has ignored “the increasing chorus of condemnation
have called on Syria’s
government to stop attacking its people. Syria to cut off trade and arms sales.
sanctions on Assad’s regime.
Losing ‘Legitimacy’
yesterday. unless Syria ends military operations against its people.
Sunni Muslim.
The Obama administration may call on Assad soon to step
Hundreds of Syrian security services raided homes in the port city of Latakia on Wednesday, pressing their crackdown on dissent in defiance of rising condemnation abroad, activists said.
On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague stepped up the pressure and warned that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was "fast losing the last shreds of his legitimacy."
And US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Arab heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Syria's neighbour Turkey to push Assad to step down.
The official news agency SANA has denied any maritime operation and on Tuesday quoted a military official saying security forces were "hunting armed men" in Latakia districts "who opened fire on residents."
The assault on Latakia has drawn sharp Arab and international condemnation.
"The regime's violence continues despite widespread condemnation by the international community. Hours later the Syrian Observatory reported that one person was killed when security forces opened fired to disperse an anti-regime protest in Deir Ezzor where "hundreds of people" marched in Takaya Street.
Rights groups say the crackdown has killed 1,827 civilians since mid-March, while 416 security forces have also died.