The protests of the Syrian civilians against President Bashar Assad is facing more brutal side. With the inclination of more protesters on the streets, the Syrian security forces opened fired on huge protests across the country killing at least 19 people on Friday.
Seven of the victims died in Qaboun and other suburbs of Damascus, some deaths were reported in Homs, the northwestern province of Idlib and the southern city of Daraa, where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March.
Meanwhile, the theme of this week's protests was 'Friday of Freedom for prisoners' of more around 12,000 who had been jailed.
These are the biggest demonstrations so far. It is a clear challenge to the authorities, especially when we see all these numbers coming out from Damascus for the first time, said Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Protesters shout slogans and gesture as they burn an Iranian flag during a protest organised by Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon, to express solidarity with Syria's anti-government protesters, as they march in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, July 15, 2011. The protesters are opposed to Iran, which has an alliance with Syria's government of Bashar Al-Assad.REUTERSProtesters shout slogans as they gesture during a protest organised by Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon, to express solidarity with Syria's anti-government protesters, as they march in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, July 15, 2011.REUTERSProtesters burn an Iranian flag during a protest organised by Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon, to express solidarity with Syria's anti-government protesters, as they march in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, July 15, 2011. The protesters are opposed to Iran, which has an alliance with Syria's government of Bashar Al-Assad.REUTERSA Syrian government loyalist holds up a placard during a protest outside the U.S. embassy in Damascus July 11, 2011. The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest terms" this week's attacks by demonstrators against the U.S. and French embassies in Damascus. Picture taken July 11, 2011.REUTERSProtesters march during a demonstration against President Bashar al-Assad in the suburb of Qaboun, Damascus in this still image taken from video uploaded on a social media website on July 15, 2011. Syrian forces killed at least 32 civilians on Friday, including 23 in the capital Damascus, in an intensifying crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad, activists said.REUTERSProtesters shout slogans and carry placards during a protest organised by Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon, to express solidarity with Syria's anti-government protesters, as they march in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, July 15, 2011. The placard (L) is depicting a caricature showing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) and his father the late President Hafez al-Assad.REUTERS
