LATEST: Kafranbel’s Friday Protest “You Are Watching Us Being Slaughtered”

Syria’s State media continues the PR campaign of victory and reconciliation in Homs, following last week’s deal for insurgents to evacuate the city.

The latest message is the celebaration of Friday Prayers in Khaled Ben al-Waled Mosque “with the participation of popular, religious and social sides in addition to members of the Follow Up on National Dialogue Committee”.

Homs Governor Talat al-Barazi proclaimed that the event show’s Syria’s third-largest city is now safe and stable: “Upon directives of president Bashar al-Assad, the authorities are exerting no effort in rehabilitating service sector as to facilitate return of locals to their neighborhoods.”

The Syriac Orthodox bishop for Homs and Hamas, Boutros Alnemeh, combined unity with the continuing battle — “We are still in the middle of the road, the reconstruction battle is no less important than fighting terrorism” — and an emphasis on “the importance of the upcoming presidential elections in ensuring safe future for the country”.

Photos show only a few celebrants from the Syrian authorities and military, with Homs Governor al-Barazi in the center:

HOMS FRIDAY PRAYER 2

HOMS FRIDAY PRAYER 3

Despite the publicity effort, there are still glitches in the proclamation that all is well. Amid complaints from residents about looting, including by the Syrian military and militia, fighting between the militias of the National Defense Forces and the Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party has killed at least one person.


Kafranbel’s Friday Protest “You Are Watching Us Being Slaughtered”

This week’s message from Kafranbel in northwest Syria, known for its posters on the conflict:

KAFRANBEL 16-05-14