Syrians Rally Against Assad as Forces Attack

Syrian forces shelled the city of Hama and fired on demonstrators in other cities as the Gulf Cooperation Council denounced the government’s “excessive use of force” against protesters.

Tanks attacked residential areas in Hama, the country’s fourth-largest city, Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera reported yesterday, citing unidentified activists. Hama has been a center of protests against President Bashar al-Assad. One civilian was killed in the shelling, Al Jazeera reported, citing activists.

An attack began early today on the eastern city of Deir Al- Zour, Al Arabiya said, citing activists. Forces shelled the city and cut off electricity, according to the report.

Protests against Assad began in March after uprisings toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt. The Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional group whose members include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, yesterday condemned the Syrian government’s “excessive use of force, which has caused many deaths and wounded among the Syrian people.” The GCC called for “an immediate cessation to all acts of violence,” in a statement posted on its website.

At least 300 people have been killed in Hama since July 30, according to Al Jazeera. Twenty-nine were killed Aug. 5 on the first Friday of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, Ammar Qurabi of the National Organization for Human Rights, said yesterday.

Ban Calls Assad

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon spoke yesterday with Assad by telephone. Ban urged Assad “to stop the use of military force against civilians immediately,” the UN said in a statement.

The Ban statement said that Assad brought up “the large number of lives lost among the security forces and police,” and noted Ban condemned that too. Ban told Assad that for the international community to have faith in the political changes Syria has announced recently, “the use of force and mass arrests must stop immediately,” according to the statement.

Yesterday, the assaults by Syrian forces were widespread, targeting demonstrators in the Damascus suburb of Al-Muadamiya, Al Arabiya reported, citing activists. Protesters were shot at in the northern province of Idlib, where electricity was cut off, and in the port city of Latakia, Al Jazeera reported.

Some 20,000 people demonstrated in Idlib yesterday after Ramadan evening prayers, and other rallies took place in the cities of Daraa, Aleppo, and Qameshli, Al Arabiya said.

Hama Occupied

The city of Hama has drawn the most force from the regime. It was the center of an uprising almost 30 years ago against Assad’s father, Hafez, and crushed, with a death toll of 10,000, according to Human Rights Watch.

The Syrian army is occupying Hama, and water and communications to the city are cut off, Al Arabiya reported yesterday, citing activists. Bodies could be seen in the streets, and just 5 percent of the population remains in the city, the report said.

The assault on Hama prompted international condemnation. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Assad has “lost his legitimacy to govern.”

Syrian security forces detained opposition figure Walid al- Bunni and his two sons in Damascus yesterday, Muhannad Al-Hasani, head of the Syrian human rights group Sawasiyah, told Al Jazeera.

Added Pressure

U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed two days ago to consider additional steps to pressure the Assad regime and support the Syrian people” beyond an Aug. 3 statement of condemnation by the United Nations Security Council, according to the White House.

About 2,200 protesters have been killed in Syria since March, according to Merhi and Qurabi. More than 500 members of the security forces have been killed, Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad told India’s News X channel. Most foreign journalists have been banned since the start of the revolt.

The U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens in Syria Aug. 5 to “depart immediately while commercial transportation is available” and said those who remain in the country should limit all non-essential travel.

Diplomats must continue to report on what is happening in Syria now that the activities of the international press are restricted, Robert Ford, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, who visited Hama last month in a show of solidarity with protesters, said in an interview with the ABC News “This Week With Christiane Amanpour” program.

Bear Witness

“It’s important to bear witness,” Ford said, according to an excerpt from the interview due to be broadcast today. “The Syrian government does not tell the truth. They said there were armed gangs in Hama. Well, the only weapon I saw was a slingshot.”

The UN Security Council hasn’t issued the resolution condemning violence in Syria that the U.S. and European allies have sought. It issued a statement Aug. 3 expressing “grave concern” at the deaths and human rights abuses.

Assad, who came to power in 2000, has blamed the protests on foreign-inspired plots, while acknowledging that the demonstrators have some legitimate demands. He issued a decree two days ago easing curbs on political parties and setting up a commission to regulate parliamentary elections.

Syria will hold “free and fair” parliamentary elections “before the end of the year,” Foreign Minister Walid Al- Muallem said yesterday according to the state-run SANA news agency.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Engleman in Washington at eengleman1@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Ann Hughey at ahughey@bloomberg.net; Paul Tighe at ptighe@bloomberg.net

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