BICOM

Demonstrations and protests continued in Syria throughout the weekend. In total, 170 people have now been killed by the Assad regime in its attempts to quell the protests, according to human rights groups. Twenty-five people were killed in the southern town of Deraa on Friday, which has been the main centre for protests so far. Over the weekend, the Syrian security forces sealed off the town of Banias, in which at least four people are thought to have been killed. Groups of armed supporters of the regime are reported to be operating alongside the official armed forces, and are thought to be responsible for some of the deaths.

The authorities in Syria have imposed severe restrictions on media reporting in the country, and telephone lines and internet access have been cut in parts of Syria most affected by the protests. A number of journalists have also been forced to leave the country. As a result, reliable figures are hard to obtain. However, the general picture is of tens of thousands attending demonstrations in various parts of Syria, now including areas close to Damascus, such as the town of Douma. Thus far the authorities have offered limited concessions while engaging in a crackdown and claiming that elements among the protestors are themselves using firearms against the security forces.