Government forces open fire on civilians in Syrian town
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Security forces opened fire on demonstrators throughout Syria yesterday as anti-government protesters rallied in support of Al-Rastan, the besieged town where army defectors are waging a fierce battle against the regime.
Gunmen attacked civilians who took to the streets shouting their support for the people of Al-Rastan, with activists coming under fire in the cities of Hama and Homs, and the towns and suburbs around Damascus.
One video uploaded on to YouTube showed protesters in Qadam, an area of Damascus, waving a banner saying "Rastan will overthrow the regime", while an activist in the eastern suburb of Qaboun told The Independent that the area was swarming with government troops. "Qaboun is under siege," he said. "The army are everywhere."
Shaam News Network, a web-based group run by Syrians to publicise the uprising, reported that security forces were using machine-gun fire to quell the demonstrations in Homs, while in Hama, groups of shabiha militiamen were filmed roaming the streets.
Since the insurrection began in mid-March, the protest movement has been largely peaceful – despite attempts by President Bashar al-Assad to blame "armed gangs" for the trouble. The violence in Al-Rastan appears to be the first major armed confrontation with government forces.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments