Homs residents fear the worst as tanks roll into town
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One of our Observers in the Syrian city of Homs sent us several videos of tanks posted at various points across the city. He says residents fear fresh violence in the city after several tense weeks.
One of our Observers in the Syrian city of Homs sent us several videos of tanks posted at various corners of the city on June 8. He says residents fear fresh violence in the country’s third-largest city after several tense weeks.
Homs, a prosperous industrial city near the Lebanese border, experienced serious bloodshed on April 19, when security forces reportedly opened fire on a crowd during a peaceful overnight sit-in, killing at least 8 people. Since then, security forces have kept up the pressure on the city. On May 20, at least 13 protesters were killed in clashes with police. As a result, when the city’s residents saw tanks return this morning, they feared the worst.
For nearly three months, Syrian soldiers and police have been trying to quell demonstrations calling for the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian witnesses say the security forces tend to crack down on a protest flashpoint area for several days, using tank and rifle fire and mass arrests to subdue it, and then move on to another area. Rights groups say more than 1,100 civilians have been killed and at least 10,000 arrested in Syria since the anti-regime protests erupted in mid-March.
Tanks in Homs on June 8. Video posted on YouTube by SHAMSNN.
“We are preparing for an attack”
Ali (pseudonym) lives in Homs. He agreed to speak only very briefly, saying he feared phone lines were tapped.
There are tanks posted at nearly every street corner in the city. They arrived this morning. So far they have done nothing but stand there, but we are very afraid. We think there may be an attack soon, and we are preparing for it.
Many people, those who can, are leaving the city. Others have made long-term provisions: my father has just come back from the market where he bought as much food and imperishable goods as possible. I fear a civil war will come to Syria. The government is pitting Sunnis [the majority Muslim group in Syria] and Christians against Alawis [a minority offshoot of Shiite Islam that the ruling Assad family belongs to]. I beg the West to take action to prevent this. Please help us.”
Tanks in Homs on June 8. Video posted on YouTube by SHAMSNN.
Post written with FRANCE 24 journalist Lorena Galliot.