Syrian forces fire tear gas at funeral

Sat Mar 19, 2011

Syrian security forces have fired tear gas to disperse mourners attending a funeral ceremony for the people killed in an anti-government demonstration on Friday.

On Saturday, thousands gathered in the city of Daraa, which is located south of Damascus, to mourn the death of four people killed during the demonstration on Friday.

The mourners chanted slogans as they carried the coffins of the victims.

On Friday, the demonstrators called for political freedoms and an end to corruption in the country.

Several people were also injured during the demonstration in Daraa.

The Syrian authorities said they would investigate the deaths, according to the Syrian daily Al-Watan, which is close to the Syrian government.

At least one person was arrested during the funeral ceremony, which nearly 10,000 people attended, human rights groups said.

Bashar al-Assad has been the president of Syria for the past 11 years. He took office in 2000 following the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, who was the leader of the country for three decades.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170825.html.