'100 protesters killed' as Syria erupts in violence - 26th Mar 2011

Up to 100 people were feared dead and many more injured after Syria exploded in violence yesterday.

Soldiers opened fire on pro-democracy campaigners in several cities, after tens of thousands took to the streets to protest across the country.

For the first time, protesters clashed with supporters of President Bashar Assad in the capital Damascus.

But the flashpoint was again the southern city of Deraa, where heavy gunfire could be heard after thousands of protesters chanting ’

‘Freedom!’ and waving Syrian flags attacked a statue of former president Hafez Assad, the father of Bashar.

Thousands had defied bans to take to the streets to protest after more than 20 people, including some in a mosque, were said to have been killed by security forces in the city during the week.

That crackdown, following the wave of pro-democracy demonstrations that have spread across the Middle East and North Africa was the spark for the unprecedented nationwide protests.

In Damascus demonstrators shouting in support of the Deraa protesters clashed with regime supporters outside the Umayyad mosque. Read More