Syria Clashes Kill 12 Protesters

The New York Times reports:

Security forces fired on large crowds of Syrian protesters in the suburbs of Damascus on Friday, killing seven people, activists said.

The seven dead in Qaboun and other suburbs of the capital were among 12 killed across the country as tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Friday to demonstrate against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Since the uprising began, activists have sought to demonstrate their power on Fridays after noon prayers, in demonstrations that show some organization but still remain largely spontaneous, even as they spread. The suburbs of Damascus have been among the most restive areas.

The biggest rallies on Friday occurred in cities that have tested the government’s ability to impose its authority: Homs and Hama in central Syria and Deir al-Zour in the poor, drought-stricken northeast. Protesters also gathered in Dara’a, the southern town where the uprising began, suggesting that a fierce military crackdown in April has not broken the opposition movement there.