Syrian security forces shot dead at least 44 civilians in attacks on pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted across Syria yesterday, the Syrian National Organisation for Human Rights said today.
Prominent rights campaigner Ammar Qurabi, who heads of the organisation, said more than half were killed in the northwest province of Idlib, where tanks deployed yesterday to crush large demonstrations against the rule of president Bashar al-Assad.
The protests broke out in defiance of a military crackdown that another rights group says has killed more than 800 civilians in the past nine weeks.
Mr Assad (45) had largely dismissed the protests as serving a foreign-backed conspiracy to sow sectarian strife.
Syrian authorities blame most of the violence on armed groups, backed by Islamists and outside powers, who they say have killed more than 120 soldiers and police. They have recently suggested they believe the protests have peaked.
Syria said today armed groups killed 17 people yesterday in the provinces of Idlib and Homs to the south. Echoing language used in previous similar statements, the state news agency said the civilians, police and security forces were killed after armed groups exploited the commitment of police forces to specific instructions by the Interior Ministry "not to shoot, to preserve the lives of civilians".
It said saboteurs burnt public buildings and police stations in Idlib, injuring eight policemen. Syria has barred most international media since the protests broke out two months ago, making it impossible to verify independently accounts from activists and officials.
The unrest has posed the gravest challenge to Mr Assad's rule. In response, he has lifted a 48-year state of emergency and granted citizenship to stateless Kurds, but also sent tanks to several cities to suppress the protests.
Yesterday's violence came a day after the US, which had at first muted its criticism Mr Assad's handling of the unrest, told him to reform or step down.
"The president can still try to redeem himself by doing what a few leaders in eastern Europe did, which is leading immediate transformation to a democracy and running himself in a fair elections if he wants," opposition figure Walid al-Bunni said.
With all the blood the regime is spilling the protests have been growing and expanding in geographical scope ... The Syrians have been humiliated and they will no longer shut up," he added.
The main weekly Muslim prayers on Fridays are a rallying point for protesters because they offer the only opportunity for large gatherings, and have seen the worst death tolls.
Activists said protests broke out yesterday in the Damascus suburbs, Banias and Latakia on the Mediterranean, the oil producing region of Deir al-Zor, Qamishli in the east and the southern Hauran Plain.
Syrian human rights lawyer Razan Zaitouna said at least 12 civilians were killed yesterday in Maaret al-Numan, in Idlib province, after tanks entered the town to disperse protesters.
She said 11 were killed in the central city of Homs, while seven died in Deraa, Latakia, the Damascus suburbs and Hama.
Reuters