Week (74) From : 19/05 - 25/05        Last Update : 05-19
Wednesday, April 18,2012

Avaaz: UN observer beaten; Security forces open fire at demonstrators

“Security forces began shooting at the demonstrators. 10 people were injured and a UN observer was beaten”

DAMASCUS SUBURBS
The UN observers began their mission today by visiting the villages and towns of eastern Gouta. The activist Abu Mohammed from Damascus told Avaaz: ”The army has today withdrawn its armoury from the towns and moved them into the agricultural areas to hide them from the eyes of the observers.” Activists also confirmed that security forces and Shabiha have been deployed heavily in all the towns in order to prevent any demonstrations.
However this didn’t stop the people of Erbeen from coming out in a demonstration, with around 5,000 people chanting for the downfall of the regime. One protester told Avaaz: ”We gathered in the courtyard of the municipal building in Erbeen and demonstrators surrounded the UN cars and began shouting anti regime slogans. The security forces threw tear gas at us and some of the people took shelter behind the United Nations vehicles but the cars fled the area and the security forces began shooting at the demonstrators. Around 10 people were injured, two were shot in the chest and one of the observers was beaten.” Avaaz has not been able to independently verify this information.

Regime forces hiding tanks from monitors between residential buildings in Hamouria Damascus Suburbs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sV4FAs1Oww&feature=youtu.be

Footage from Erbeen today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJr5meRxYI&feature=youtu.be  Spread of
security agents in civilian clothing in the streets of Erbeen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCrmzzAXqzw&feature=youtu.be
Demonstrators in the town of Erbeen accompanied by the United Nations
Observer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWlqKcbBPtc&feature=youtu.be
Demonstrators surround the Observers car
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPDEC9Zgz6I&feature=youtu.be Shooting
on the demonstrators and the observer cars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1aFZHM8kOZo
Demonstrators fleeing the shooting

HOMS
The situation in the city of Homs has not changed from recent days, despite the arrival of the observer mission to Syria. The cease-fire did not hold in Homs, which has been pounded by regime shells since daybreak. Clashes between the regular army and the FSA
continue.

Violent shelling is once again targeting the Khalidiya district and Bayada today, starting at 7am, and resulting in the death of at least 9 people. Citizen journalist Waleed Fares told Avaaz: “The shelling today has been very violent. They are using missiles and have increased the shelling. This continued every few seconds for around 90 minutes today and has not yet stopped altogether.”

The activist Yazn confirmed this account and added that about 20% of the population are still in Bayada and 15% remain Khaldiya. Remaining residents are suffering from a severe shortage of food and medical supplies.
Clashes broke out in Khalidiya after the army attempted to storm the district but were held back by the FSA.
Heavy shelling was also reported the neighbourhoods of Jouret Shiyah and Alaqrabees. The activist Mohamed told Avaaz clashes broke out
between the army and the FSA in these neighbourhoods. “Destruction is very severe in these neighbourhoods. Most residential buildings have
been fully or partially destroyed, they are no longer habitable.  Dark clouds cover the city of Homs and the remaining people in Homs are demanding the observers come to Homs urgently, because what is happening here is a genocide “
Waleed Fares reported that the regime is following a scorched-earth policy in the city of Homs. “They do not want to leave anything alive,” he said.
Jobar and Alsultaniyeh neighbourhoods bombarded
For the 7th day running, shelling continued almost unabated from 8am this morning with missiles and mortar shells pounding residential houses and shops. 4 civilians have been confirmed killed so far: Tarad Alsalal, Iyad Alsarhan, a young man from Raslan family and Fatima Hamdoosh.
Activist Rose al-Homsi said: “Not one day passes without at least 10 injuries. The medical resources are very limited and we repeat once again there is not a single doctor inside [the district] to treat the injuries. The civilians are now dependent on one another to treat injuries with basic first aid that they have learnt over the past months as attacks continued. The critically injured are being smuggled out of the area though they are under threat of missile attacks and sniper shots, but it is an attempt to try and save their lives.
“The media office in Baba Amr is trying its best to cover what is taking place in its suburbs. This is proving extremely difficult.”
Avaaz has received unverified reports that members of the Baba Amr revolutionary brigade are helping smuggle the injured out of Jobar and Alsultaniyeh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=eo6zw5fUpMQ
Video shows the events that took place on 14/04/2012. Security forces and the military are in the area of Gaba near Wa’r and are firing mortar shells into the city of Homs.ENDS

For more information or interviews with citizen journalists please contact Will Davies on +447855 419901 or will@avaaz.org
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