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Syrian Forces Kill Women Protesters

07 May 2011 20:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Rights activists say Syrian troops have killed six people in the coastal city of Banias, including four women marching in a demonstration, APA reports quoting voanews.com website.

Syrian troops with tanks swept into Banias earlier Saturday and witnesses say military boats were patrolling offshore.

Also, the French news agency says tanks have encircled the nearby town of Baida.

Activists say electricity and communications were cut in Banias before the troops entered from three directions. The city has been a hub of protests against President Bashar al-Assad, who launched a military crackdown on the opposition demonstrations.

Activists say thousands of people took to the streets Friday in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and cities across the country, calling for the downfall of Mr. Assad’s government.

Activists say Syrian forces shot and killed at least 26 people, attacking demonstrators in several cities, including Homs. The state-run news agency SANA said armed criminal gangs attacked and killed one officer and four policemen in Homs.

Syrian security forces also arrested opposition leader Riad Seif on Friday at a pro-democracy demonstration in the Damascus neighborhood of Midan.

The White House said late Friday that the United States and its international partners would take â€œadditional stepsâ€ against the Syrian government unless it stops killing protesters. The White House did not specify the nature of the steps.

In Brussels, European Union officials said they were readying sanctions against 14 Syrian officials connected with the crackdown on protesters.

Rights groups say at least 600 people have been killed in Syria’s crackdown on nationwide anti-government unrest and that as many as 8,000 are missing or have been detained.