Epress.am News from Armenia
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Syria have called for mass protests across the country on Friday after security forces stormed a mosque leaving many dead, Al-Jazeera English reports.
Activists used social-networking sites to call for massive demonstrations across the country on Friday, a day they dubbed as “Dignity Friday.”
Human rights activists say at least 15 people have been killed in the Syrian town of Daraa, the focal point of almost a week of anti-government protests.
Residents said security forces shot and killed six people including a doctor who was giving aid to the injured at the Omari mosque, where most of the protests took place.
A rights activist also told AFP news agency that security forces had opened fire on mourners attending the funeral of those killed in Daraa.
Al Jazeera’s Rula Amin, reporting from Damascus, said that fighting broke out when residents from other towns clashed with security forces as they tried to enter Daraa to help residents there.
A youth activist in the Syrian capital, who remains anonymous, told Al Jazeera that his contacts in Daraa said that “dozens of people” had died in clashes.
“Many there want to take down the government, and want more freedoms.” he said.
Our correspondent said there was a heavy security presence in Daraa, with the army, anti-terror police and riot police all deployed in the city. Journalists are not being allowed to visit the city, and several of those who attempted to do so last night had their equipment confiscated by authorities.