Gun shots were heard again today on the outskirts of Damascus, and in Banias – the city where the army intervened on Saturday to put an end to the protests, according to the human rights campaigners, quoted by the French daily “Le Figaro”.
Meanwhile, in the city of Banias (50,000 inhabitants), “house searching by the government forces continued last night and this morning”, said Rami Abdel Rahman, president of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Over 300 people were arrested in Banias, a city surrounded by tanks, added Abdel Rahman. They also arrested Anas al-Ayrout, the leader of the protest movement.
Security forces have brought in reinforcements to Homs and Deraa. Saturday, at least 10 people were killed in Homs, including a 12 year old child. Western journalists were not allowed to enter Syria, so reports are difficult to verify.
Protesters killed by terrorists? Officials have their own version
“The army and security forces continue to chase terrorist groups in Homs, Banias and Deraa surroundings”, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), quoted by AFP. “Six military troops, including three officers were killed in clashes and others were wounded by terrorist groups’ shootings”, said a military spokesman, quoted by the agency, without giving names of the cities where there were victims.
SANA announced that members of armed groups were killed, dozens of other members were arrested and weapons were seized. The agency also announced the deaths of ten Syrian citizens on Sunday, killed at dawn by shootings of an armed terrorist group. They were aboard a minibus ambushed by this armed group near Homs. All the victims were people working in Lebanon, who were on their way back to Syria, informs SANA.