Report: At least 16 killed in the Syrian city of Hama

Report: At least 16 killed in the Syrian city of Hama

2011-07-07 04:24:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- At least 16 people have been killed over the past two days in Syria's central city of Hama, Human Rights Watch reported on Wednesday.

The New York-based rights group said Syrian security forces responded to a large peaceful protest on July 1 with a series of deadly raids. Security forces and pro-government armed groups known as "shabiha" raided homes, opened fire, and set up checkpoints encircling Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city.

"Hama is the latest city to fall victim to President Bashar al-Asad's security forces despite his promises that his government would tolerate peaceful protests," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Security forces have responded to protests with the brutality that's become familiar over the past several months."

Residents said that security forces opened fire in certain areas during the raids, killing at least 16 people and wounding dozens more. The National Organization for Human Rights, a Syrian human rights group, published a list of 22 killed.

Tens of thousands on July 1 participated in the massive demonstration, which Syrian activists hailed as the largest protest in the country since the uprising began in mid-March. The next day, President al-Asad fired the governor of Hama, Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz, and security forces began a campaign of arrests.

According to witnesses, security forces were deployed in large numbers in the city in the early hours of July 3 and carried out arrests. Residents said the arrest campaign and the shooting intensified on July 5.

In mid-March, pro-democracy demonstrations began in Syria and have continued across the country, which has been ruled by the Baath Party since 1963. Protesters are demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, who took over his father in 2000.

Assad previously said that the recent events in the country are a conspiracy against national unity. The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that the violent acts have been instigated by terrorists who use military uniforms and weaponry to pose as soldiers while attacking citizens.

However, the European Union, the United Nations and other international agencies have reported the killing of at least 1,600 protesters due to the violent crackdown on demonstrations by security personnel.

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