Syrian troops open fire on protesters - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011325145817688433.html
Syrian security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters near the city of Daraa, killing at least 20 people, residents have told Al Jazeera.
“There are more than 20 martyrs .... they [security forces] opened fire haphazardly,” the witness said.
Reuters also reported that heavy gunfire could be heard in the southern city, the focal point for demonstrations against Bashar al-Assad’’s regime in recent days.
Rula Amin, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Damascus, said Syrian forces apparently opened fire after protesters started setting fire to a statue of the late president Hafer al-Assad.
“Eyewitnesses are telling us that when some young men tried to burn down the statue of the late president the security forces started firing live ammunition at the protesters and there were some injured, we think there is one casualty, but we are trying to verify”.
