Syria moves to halt spread of unrest into central Damascus
Security forces in the Syrian capital increased checkpoints, troop deployments and helicopter patrols Saturday in a bid to keep an overnight surge of antigovernment protests in the suburbs from spreading to the heart of Damascus, a crucial stronghold for President Bashar Assad.
The beefed-up deployments came as Iran, Syria’s closest ally, for the first time publicly pressed Assad’s government to accede to the “legitimate” demands of the Syrian public.
Damascus and the commercial city of Aleppo are key centers of support for Assad’s government. Large protests in either city would be seen as a sign that Syria’s better-off business people, regarded as still largely loyal to Assad, have turned against him. But at least one counter-rally by his supporters Saturday in a southern suburb of Damascus indicated that the president retains an unmeasured but significant amount of backing.
Across Syria, activists reported the killings of three people by security forces Saturday in a heavy night and day of protests against Assad’s government, which the United Nations accuses of killing at least 2,200 civilians since antigovernment protests began in March.
As night fell, Damascus residents said the capital was calm but security forces were out in noticeably greater numbers.
“There are extra checkpoints, and we hear helicopters every hour or so,” a 26-year-old student said, speaking anonymously because she feared retaliation by the government. People in Damascus “are trying to carry on as normal,” she said. “Maybe we are in denial. But the tension is palpable.”
Saturday was an Islamic holiday marking the receiving of the Koran by the prophet Muhammad. Protests erupted as crowds spilled out of mosques after prayers for the holiday.