Syrian forces storm Deraa mosque

Reports of snipers on roof and tanks moving into area after heavy shelling of restive city’s old quarter Syrian security forces have stormed a mosque in the opposition stronghold of Deraa after heavy shelling of the city’s old quarter, according to residents. One said snipers had taken up positions on the roof of the Omari mosque and that government forces appeared to be back in control for the first time since attacking the city earlier in the week. Tanks were reported to have moved into the area. Troops and heavy armoured vehicles first swept into Deraa on Monday. The city, in the south of the country, has become a focal point of the six-week uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. “Since dawn, we’ve been hearing a heavy exchange of gunfire that is echoing across the city and you do not know what’s happening,” Abu Tareq, a local man, told Reuters by phone. “I saw more than 15 tanks that had entered from the Damascus highway heading in the direction of the old city.” Another resident, Abu Ahmad, also told Reuters that tanks had stormed the old city: “It looks like they [the security forces] want to finish their campaign today. From the new tank deployments, it looks as though they are intensifying their operations.” On Friday, thousands of Syrians defied their government’s bloody attempts to suppress protest, braving gunfire to demonstrate in Damascus and at other locations around the country. Soldiers in Deraa are believed to have killed 19 people on Friday when they fired on protesters who were trying to enter the city from nearby villages in a show of solidarity. Syrian rights groups put Friday’s death toll at 62, pushing the number of deaths since the uprising began to more than 500. The British foreign minister, William Hague, has welcomed the EU’s decision to launch an arms embargo against Syria and to review all EU co-operation with the country “I am extremely concerned by ongoing violence and repression in Syria,” he said. “Yesterday, we once again saw a violent response to protests following Friday prayers, leading to the deaths of many innocent people. There are credible reports that over 500 people have been killed in recent weeks. The Syrian government has failed to heed repeated calls by the international community for restraint.” He also welcomed a resolution passed on Friday by the UN human rights council condemning Syria’s conduct and launching a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights abuses. Syria Arab and Middle East unrest Bashar Al-Assad Middle East Ben Quinn guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 30, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.