Security forces have attempted to storm a mosque in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, reportedly killing at least six people.
The government, however, blamed the violence on an “armed gang”, according to the state-run SANA news agency.
Residents said heavy gunfire was heard near the Omari mosque in the early hours of Wednesday in the city, which has been the scene of anti-government protests since Friday.
“It seems that security forces may be trying to storm the complex. It is not clear because electricity has been cut off. Tear gas is also being used,” one resident told the Reuters news agency.
Protesters calling for political freedoms and an end to corruption had said earlier that they were going to remain in the mosque until their demands were met.
Mohammed Al Abdallah, an exiled Syrian rights activist living in the US, said he had been communicating with people in Daraa who told him that a doctor was among those killed.
“Security forces opened fire, they used bombs and live ammunition,” he told Al Jazeera. “There are many injuries, including women and children.”
He said electricity had been cut off before the attack and that security forces were preventing ambulances from entering the centre of Daraa, where the mosque is located.
Al Jazeera could not immediately confirm the reports and mobile phone network appeared to be disrupted in Daraa.
Rula Amin, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Damascus, said the incident was a “very serious development” that could trigger protests, and the prospect of further violence.
She also said the use of violence against protesters indicated the government had abandoned its earlier offer of dialogue.
“With the killing of these six people overnight, it seems that the government is opting for the choice of using force to crack down on the protesters not dialogue as it had indicated,” she said.
She reported that there was a heavy security presence in Daraa, with the army, anti-terror police and riot police all deployed in the city. Journalists are not being allowed to visit the city, and several of those who attempted to do so last night had their equipment confiscated by authorities.
Checkpoints have been set up by security forces at all entries to the city.
Syria’s state-run television station reported that an “armed gang” attacked an ambulance at the Omari mosque, killing four people.
(Source: Al Jazeera)
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One Response
Imagine it was israel trying to get a few terrorists out of that mosque!
Imagine israel not allowing ambulances to the scene imagine israel blocking media.
Did you hear the UN’s resounding censure on assad?
Obama? Sarkozy? Merkal?
The double standard should just remind us (as we daven for the bus victims) that we are different we are Hashems chosen. Bni bichor Yisroel!!
We are witnessing amazing things we all have to wake up this is not business as usual. Hashem is shaking things up and we need to get off cruise control and auto pilot and think about our avodas Hashem!