Syrian opposition vows to continue protests

16:08, 6 May 2011

MOSCOW. May 6. KAZINFORM Syrian opposition activists have called for another day of protests on Friday prompting authorities to deploy army units in politically sensitive areas throughout the nation, Al Jazeera reported; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

Thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets of major Syrian cities on the so-called Day of defiance.

While the Syrian military said it withdrew from Deraa (102 kilometers from the capital of Damascus) after a 10-day siege, army units have taken key positions in Damascus and its suburbs, as well as in the cities of Baniyas, Homs and Rastan.

Large-scale protests against the regime of President Bashar Assad started in mid-March in the southern city of Deraa and swept through the country, claiming the lives of almost 150 people, according to official reports. The opposition says at least 500 have been killed.

Syrian opposition is calling for greater political and personal rights and freedoms.

The European Union has imposed an arms embargo on Syria and said last week it would consider further sanctions against the Assad regime if the authorities continued to use violence against peaceful protesters; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.

See www.en.rian.ru

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