BBC News - Syria unrest: Tear gas fired at Deraa funeral

19 March 2011 Last updated at 14:27 GMT

Syria unrest: Tear gas fired at Deraa funeral


President Bashar al-Assad inherited power from his father in 2000

Syrian security forces have fired tear gas to disperse crowds at the funeral of two people killed in anti-government protests on Friday, witnesses say.

Thousands had gathered for the funeral in the southern city of Deraa, and began chanting anti-government slogans.

Rights activists said at least one mourner was arrested by secret police.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose Baath party has dominated politics in the country for almost 50 years, tolerates no dissent.

Witnesses told Reuters news agency that the mourners began to chant: "God, Syria, Freedom. Whoever kills his own people is a traitor."

A rights activist told AFP news agency that several had been injured as the protesters struggled to run away from the security forces.

Rights groups say a fourth person died from his wounds on Saturday after the protests in Deraa on Friday.

They were killed by security forces as protesters demanded political freedom and an end to corruption, eyewitnesses and activists told foreign media.

State news agency Sana said violence and "acts of sabotage" had broken out in Deraa, prompting security forces to intervene.

It accused "infiltrators" of seeking to "provoke chaos through acts of violence which resulted in damage to private and public property".

The US and US both condemned the violence and urged the government not to use repression.