QAA, lebanon — Thousands of people held street rallies across Syria on Friday to protest the government of President Bashar Assad, the first test of a U.N.-brokered cease-fire that went into effect Thursday. By most accounts, the cease-fire held.
Syrian security forces used tear gas and rifle fire to disperse some of the protests, according to anti-Assad activists, and activists told news agencies that the death toll for the day had reached 13.
But there was no use of heavy weapons or artillery, and the number of reported dead and wounded was far lower than in previous days.
An anti-Assad activist in the central Syrian city of Hama said three people were killed and more than 20 wounded when security forces opened fire on demonstrators at a rally inside the city and at another at a nearby village.
An activist reached by phone in Damascus who identified himself only as Mar estimated that more than 40 anti-Assad rallies had taken place in the capital — the largest number in three months, he said. Those too were largely peaceful.
The exception was a gathering in the neighborhood of Mezzeh, which is close to the presidential palace and home to many army and intelligence officers. Mar said the Mezzeh demonstration “was attacked brutally by thugs,” a reference to pro-government militiamen. He did not give a casualty toll, however.
“Damascus was on fire today — it was one of most glorious days for the revolution, one of the largest days,” Mar said.
Foreign reporters generally have been barred from Syria, and it is difficult to assess the extent of Friday’s protests.
A video posted on YouTube purported to show what appeared to be thousands of people marching to Assi Square in central Hama, carrying flags and banners and chanting “God is great” and “To paradise we march, martyrs in the millions.”
