Protester killed in Syria as buildings are set on fire

21 March 2011

Bath party headquarters targeted

Another protester has been killed in the southern Syrian city of Deraa, as police clashed with demonstrators.

The protester was killed on Sunday 20 March as police tried to disperse crowds in Deraa. This was the third successive day of protests in the southern city.

During the protest, demonstrators set fire to several buildings. One of the buildings targeted was the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party, according to BBC reports.

At least three protesters were killed in Deraa during clashes with government security forces on Friday 18 March.

The protests followed on from demonstrations in Damascus and Aleppo earlier in the week.

On Wednesday 16 March, at least 35 people were arrested in Syria for demonstrating in the capital city Damascus. About 150 people had gathered to call for the release of political prisoners, according to BBC reports.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered in Damascus and Aleppo on Tuesday 15 March to call for democracy.

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad assumed power in 2000, after his father Hafez had ruled the Levant state for three decades (MEED 20:3:11).

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