Syria ‘deploys military in Hama’

On Friday Hama saw some of the biggest demonstrations yet against President Assad

Syrian troops are being deployed at the restive city of Hama after mass anti-government protests and the sacking of its governor, activists have said.

Troops were taking positions at key entrances to the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

On Friday the city saw some of the biggest demonstrations yet against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

A day later, Mr Assad sacked the governor of Hama, Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz.

Activists say more than 1,350 civilians and 350 security personnel have been killed since protests began in mid-March.

Rami Abdel-Rahman, president of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said troops took up positions at Hama late on Saturday and “heavy gunfire” was heard in the city overnight.

He told Reuters news agency there had been a number of arrests on the outskirts of the city.

“The authorities seem to have opted for a military solution to subdue the city,” he said.

One resident also told Reuters that shots had been fired. He said that communications in the city had been cut and that a number of arrests had been made in its Sabounia district.

Tens of thousands of people were said to have taken part in protests in Hama on Friday.

Correspondents say there were reports the army had eased its presence in the city earlier in the week.

Hama was the scene of a Muslim Brotherhood uprising against Mr Assad’s father, Hafez, in 1982, which the army crushed, killing at least 10,000 people.

Mr Rahman also told Agence France-Presse that troops and tanks had deployed to the north-western village of Kfar Rumma.

The Syrian government has not commented on its latest military movements.

Mr Assad has previously accused a “small faction” of “saboteurs” of exploiting popular grievances.

Reports cannot be independently verified as the Syrian authorities have banned most foreign media from the country.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.