Last tribute paid to security forces and police martyrs killed in Daraa and Lattakia

A protest at Damascus University did not result in the death of one individual as was alleged, according to the Dean of the science faculty, Dr Mohammad Said Mahasni, who said "these reports are baseless and untrue," and instead spoke of a smaller pro-government demonstration that also occurred on the campus, state media reports. No-one was reportedly injured in the pro-government rally. Dozens of students gathered at the science faculty yesterday to voice their protest at the government, said Middle East Online, which also reported that a number of students were arrested and beaten when security forces attempted to disperse the crowd. However the state news agency, SANA, said that reports of one fatality at the anti-government protest were unfounded.

Meanwhile SANA reports that the bodies of the nine soldiers killed in an ambush in Banias on Sunday were buried. The news agency also published a list of six policemen it says were “martyred” over the past few days in Dara’a, the Damascus countryside, Damascus, Homs, and Lattakia, as well as dozens of names of policemen and soldiers it says were injured when unidentified gunmen fired on them.

According to the Syrian news website Aksalser, Qatar’s prime minister, Hamid bin Jassem, has been trying to contact the Syrian government for several days to visit the country. According to the report the Syrian government will only receive the Qatari leader if an official apology from the Emirate is given over Al-Jazeera’s coverage of the recent unrest, and the country’s hosting of the controversial Doha-based Muslim Brotherhood Sheikh, Youssef Kardawi. The Sheikh has repeatedly made calls for “millions to march in the streets” of Syria.

A new ambassador to Australia was sworn in by President Assad today. Mohammed Khaddour replaces Tammam Suleiman. Meanwhile, state-run Tishreen newspaper reported that pro-Assad demonstrations have taken place in Australia, Serbia, Russia and Moldova.

Syria has been elected as a member of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). Formed in 1945 the WFTU was set up to act as the international body for trade unions.

Source
Syria Today (Syria)