Middle East
Syria mourners 'attacked by security forces'
At least two shot dead and 20 injured in Homs, witness tells Al Jazeera, as
thousands mourn protesters killed on Friday.
Last Modified: 21 May 2011 14:18
Government security forces and others in plain clothes have opened fire on
mourners in Homs killing at least two people and injuring more than 20 as they
returned from massive funerals, a witness told Al Jazeera.
More than 40,000 people had gathered in Homs for the funerals of protesters
killed in the city on Friday and were walking back from the cemetery in Tal al
Nasser on the outskirts of the city when they were fired on without warning,
the witness said.
The sound of gunfire and cries to help the wounded were audible over the phone
as Al Jazeera spoke to the eyewitness.
The wounded have been taken to private clinics and homes as people feared the
secret police would raid and arrest the injured from the main state hospital,
he said, as they had done in previous such attacks.
Click here for more of our Syria coverage
Al Jazeera cannot verify reports from Syria because of restrictions placed on
reporting by the Syrian government.
At least 44 people were reported to have been killed by security forces,
according to activists, across Syria on Friday, in another day of
anti-government protests in defiance of a weeks-long crackdown by security
forces.
Earlier in Homs, a witness told Al Jazeera that security forces opened fire on
mourners and shot into the air to disperse crowds leaving the Grand Mosque, but
left the scene, retreating in tanks as the size of the funeral procession
overwhelmed them.
He said that the massive procession converged from funerals at various mosques
around the city.
"When we gather in large numbers we show our power. As individuals we are
strong, but this is a stronger
message," the witness told Al Jazeera. "We encouraged people to join us on this
funeral march and people of all backgrounds and religions did."
The size of Saturday's crowd could offer a hint as to the level of grassroots
support for anti-government protests which have been ongoing since mid-March,
and have reportedly seen the deaths of over 850 Syrians at the hands of
government security forces.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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