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Syria troops 'clash with Damascus activists' Syria troops 'clash with Damascus activists'
(about 2 hours later)
Syrian forces and activists have clashed during after-prayer protests in Damascus, as Arab observers continue their mission in the country. Syrian security forces have reportedly clashed with protesters, leaving at least 10 dead, as tens of thousands took to the streets across the country.
Activists said troops fired nail bombs to disperse protesters who retaliated with stones in the suburb of Douma. Activists said several people were injured when troops opened fire to disperse a demonstration in Douma, a suburb of the capital, Damascus.
Protest organisers had called for mass demonstrations, saying up to 40 people were killed by troops on Thursday while awaiting a visit from the Arab team. At least five were killed in Deraa and another five in Hama, they added.
The opposition called on people to join rallies to show Arab League monitors the scale of anti-government anger.
The monitors are visiting the country to verify the government's implementation of a peace initiative, which demands an end to all violence, troops pulled off the streets and political prisoners freed.
Continued violence and the rising death toll in Syria risk eclipsing the Arab League monitors' mission, before they have even built up to their full strength. Despite unease in many Western capitals nobody wants to pre-judge the outcome of the monitors' work. They are due to report towards the end of January and there is a clear hope that their conclusions will provide ammunition to take to the UN Security Council.
Meanwhile, amidst signs that the Syrian economy is faltering, European Union governments are set to consider even tougher sanctions - the 11th round of economic measures to pressure the Syrian authorities. And in Washington there are reports that the Obama administration is considering increased diplomatic and practical support for the Syrian opposition; though the supply of arms or any kind of outside military intervention are - for now - out of the question.
Up to 40 protesters were reportedly killed on Thursday while awaiting visits from monitors, who fanned out across the country for the first time.
The UN says more than 5,000 have been killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March. The government says it is fighting "terrorist gangs" and 2,000 security forces personnel have died.
Casualty figures and other information are hard to verify as most foreign media are barred from Syria.
'Nail bombs'
Correspondents say the presence of the monitors has emboldened the protesters.Correspondents say the presence of the monitors has emboldened the protesters.
Syrian opposition groups said the bodies of eight people had been recovered on Friday, although such figures are difficult to verify. At least 5,000 are believed to have died since the revolt against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began in March. Following Friday prayers, there were mass rallies in several suburbs of Damascus, the restive central cities of Homs and Hama, and the southern city of Deraa, where the uprising began.
Reassuring? The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said as many as 250,000 people had taken to the streets in the north-western province of Idlib.
The presence of Arab League observers has not stopped the violence. "This Friday is different from any other Friday. It is a transformative step. People are eager to reach the monitors and tell them about their suffering," Abu Hisham, an activist in Hama, told the Reuters news agency.
If anything it may in fact have increased the violence. Although some protestors have criticised the mission for being too small, biased and ineffective, many demonstarators seem emboldened and keen to be out on the streets to show the strength of their movement. Footage of Homs broadcast by al-Jazeera TV showed a huge crowd dancing and shouting: "Revolution, revolution Syria, revolution of glory and freedom Syria."
A big test on Friday will be whether there are large demonstrations in the centre of the capital - something that hasn't happened so far. But a resident of central Damascus, Ram, told the BBC that heavily-armed security forces had been deployed outside his local mosque to intimidate protesters.
On Friday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 20 protesters were hurt when troops fired "nail bombs" and tear gas to disperse as many as 70,000 protesters who were marching towards the city hall, where Arab League monitors were believed to be based. "They were daring people. It's the first time that they were showing their guns showing their weapons outside," he said. "So they were telling people: 'Once you just say the word, we will shoot you.'"
Major protests were also reported in Hama, Homs and around the northern city of Idlib, where the group said at least 250,000 people had taken to the streets in 74 separate protests. In the suburb of Douma, a protest by an estimated 70,000 people was broken up by troops, who fired live rounds and tear gas, activists said.
Activists had called for massive protests after prayers on Friday - the traditional day of demonstration. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 20 protesters were hurt when "nail bombs" were detonated when they approached the town hall, where Arab League monitors were believed to be based.
"On Friday we will march to the squares of freedom, bare-chested," said the Syria Revolution 2011 Facebook group. The Observatory also said security forces opened fire on demonstrations in Hama and Deraa, killing at least five people in each city.
"We will march as we did in Homs and Hama where we carried olive branches only to be confronted by [President Bashar al-Assad's] gangs who struck us with artillery and machinegun fire." Another activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees, said the nationwide death toll on Friday was 32, with nine killed in Hama, six in Deraa, six in Idlib, and four in Tal Kalakh, near the border with Lebanon.
Reassuring? The bodies of five members of the same family were found in the Deir Baalbah area of Homs, a day after they were arrested, it added.
The Arab League peace plan calls for a complete halt to the violence, the withdrawal of all armed forces and the release of all detainees. 'Barrier of fear broken'
The Arab mission has faced criticism for being led by Sudan's Gen Mustafa al-Dabi, who Amnesty International has accused of carrying out human rights violations in his own country. The Arab League observer mission has faced criticism for being led by Sudan's Gen Mustafa al-Dabi, who Amnesty International has accused of carrying out human rights violations in his own country.
But the League says Gen Dabi has full support, and the US has urged detractors to allow the team to finish its work.But the League says Gen Dabi has full support, and the US has urged detractors to allow the team to finish its work.
Russia's foreign ministry says the first comments from the observers showed the situation in Syria was "reassuring".Russia's foreign ministry says the first comments from the observers showed the situation in Syria was "reassuring".
The comments came in an interview Gen Dabi gave on Thursday after a visit to Homs.The comments came in an interview Gen Dabi gave on Thursday after a visit to Homs.
"Some places looked a bit of a mess but there was nothing frightening," he told Reuters."Some places looked a bit of a mess but there was nothing frightening," he told Reuters.
But the Local Coordination Committees, a Syrian activist group that documents and organises protests, said that 130 people had been killed since the Arab League monitors arrived in the country earlier this week. But the Local Coordination Committees, a Syrian activist group that documents and organises protests, said that 130 people had been killed since the monitors arrived in the country earlier this week.
The anti-government Free Syrian Army says it has requested a meeting with the observers but received no response.The anti-government Free Syrian Army says it has requested a meeting with the observers but received no response.
"We haven't been given any of the (phone) numbers for the monitors, which we have requested. No one has contacted us either," said Col Riad al-Asaad, who heads a force claiming to be 10,000-strong, many of whom defected from the Syrian army during the uprising. "We haven't been given any of the [telephone] numbers for the monitors, which we have requested. No one has contacted us either," said Col Riad al-Asaad, who heads a force claiming to be 10,000-strong, many of whom defected from the Syrian army during the uprising.
The rebel commander told Reuters his forces had been ordered to stop all attacks on government troops since the arrival of the observers in the country.The rebel commander told Reuters his forces had been ordered to stop all attacks on government troops since the arrival of the observers in the country.
'Olive branches'
Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the Arab League's initiative was "the only ray of light" for Syrians.Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the Arab League's initiative was "the only ray of light" for Syrians.
"The presence of the observers in Homs broke the barrier of fear," he told AFP."The presence of the observers in Homs broke the barrier of fear," he told AFP.
Despite the presence of the Arab monitors - who are being escorted around the country by state security officials - there has been little let-up in the ferocity of the response to protests, correspondents say.Despite the presence of the Arab monitors - who are being escorted around the country by state security officials - there has been little let-up in the ferocity of the response to protests, correspondents say.
The US State Department and UK foreign office have expressed concern about the continuing violence.The US State Department and UK foreign office have expressed concern about the continuing violence.
Casualty figures and other information are hard to verify as most foreign media are barred from Syria.
Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family in Syria? What do you think of the visit by the Arab League monitors? Send us your comments and experiences.Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family in Syria? What do you think of the visit by the Arab League monitors? Send us your comments and experiences.