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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (2) Slideshow Video Full Focus Editor's choice A selection of our top photos from the past 24 hours. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Actress Marlee Matlin hit with tax bill, sells home 12 May 2011 Special report: The bin Laden kill plan | 12 May 2011 Special report: The bin Laden kill plan | 12 May 2011 Cisco braces for biggest layoffs in its history 12 May 2011 German court convicts then frees Nazi guard Demjanjuk | 12 May 2011 Discussed 148 Obama at U.S. base to pay tribute to bin Laden mission 115 Son says bin Laden sea burial demeans family: report 59 Muslim scholars pulled from Delta plane in Memphis Watched Russia 'shot down Georgia' drone Mon, Apr 21 2008 Progress made on debt ceiling: WH 3:23am EDT Deadly earthquake rocks Spain Wed, May 11 2011 Syria's Assad reported to have ordered no shooting Tweet Share this By Khaled Yacoub Oweis AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered troops not to fire on pro-democracy demonstrators, a rights campaigner said, ahead of Friday prayers that have become a rallying point for protesters in an... Email Print Related News 700 dead in Syria crackdown, jurists' group says Thu, May 12 2011 Clinton: U.S. looking to raise pressure on Syria Thu, May 12 2011 Syria arrests veteran rights campaigner: group Thu, May 12 2011 Analysis: Turkey gains little sway over Syria Thu, May 12 2011 Analysis & Opinion With bin Laden dead, why doesn’t the U.S. leave Afghanistan? The China files, Part 3: Crony capitalism Related Topics World Home » Syria » Related Video Protests as tanks shell Syrian towns Thu, May 12 2011 Syrian TV says life back to normal Thousands protest in Syria 1 / 12 Syrian residents stand on an army vehicle, holding posters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, during their withdrawal from Deraa city in southern Syria, May 5, 2011 in this picture provided by Government news agency SANA on May 6. Credit: Reuters/SANA/Handout By Khaled Yacoub Oweis AMMAN | Thu May 12, 2011 9:36pm EDT AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered troops not to fire on pro-democracy demonstrators, a rights campaigner said, ahead of Friday prayers that have become a rallying point for protesters in an eight-week uprising. Louay Hussein said Assad's adviser Bouthaina Shaaban told him in a phone call on Thursday that "definitive presidential orders have been issued not to shoot demonstrators and whoever violates this bears full responsibility." Hussein was among four opposition figures who saw Shaaban this month and presented demands that included an end to violent repression of protesters and the introduction of political reform in the country, ruled by the Assad family since 1970. The meetings were the first between the opposition and senior officials since demonstrations calling for political freedom and an end to corruption erupted in the southern city of Deraa on March 18. "I hope we will see (no firing at demonstrators) tomorrow. I still call for non-violent form of any protest regardless of the response of the security apparatus," Hussein said in a statement sent to Reuters. Fridays, the Muslim day of prayer, offer the only chance for Syrians to assemble in large numbers, making it easier to hold demonstrations. This Friday will be an important test after the government said it had largely put down the unrest. Shaaban made a similar statement to the one on Thursday at the beginning of the demonstrations in March. Authorities have since blamed most of the violence on "armed terrorist groups" backed by Islamists and foreign agitators. The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists said troops have killed 700 people, rounded up thousands and indiscriminately shelled towns during the protests, the biggest challenge to Assad's 11-year authoritarian rule. The government says about 100 troops and police have been killed. Foreign journalists have been barred from the country, making independent accounts difficult to obtain. WESTERN STANCE Washington and its European allies have been criticized for a tepid response to the violence in Syria, in contrast with Libya where they are carrying out a bombing campaign they say will not end until leader Muammar Gaddafi is driven from power. Syrian forces spread through southern towns on Thursday and tightened their grip on two other cities, broadening a crackdown before Friday. Tanks advanced in the southern towns of Dael, Tafas, Jassem and al-Harra. In Deraa, a witness, who declined to be named, said the first significant demonstration erupted on Thursday since tanks shelled the city's old quarter into submission two weeks ago. The witness, a resident of Deraa, said hundreds of mourners at a funeral for five people killed in the attack chanted, "Bashar get prepared to go" and "The people want the overthrow of the regime." Government forces fired over the heads of protesters when they marched toward the main mosque in the city. Assad has responded to the unrest with promises of reform, lifting a 48-year-old state of emergency and granting stateless Kurds Syrian citizenship last month. Syria's main cities of Damascus and Aleppo have not seen major unrest. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington and its allies would hold Assad's government to account for "brutal reprisals" against protesters and might tighten sanctions, but she stopped short of saying Assad should leave power. The United States and Europe have imposed economic sanctions on a handful of senior Libyan officials but not on Assad. "President Assad faces increasing isolation and we will continue to work with our international partners in the EU and elsewhere on additional steps to hold Syria accountable for its gross human rights abuses," said Clinton. Asked if Assad had lost his legitimacy to rule, she said Washington had watched with "great consternation and concern as events have unfolded under his leadership." (Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi, editing by Ralph Gowling) World Home Syria Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. Comments (2) LynCe wrote: Much of the world will reserve judgment on Bashar al-Assad’s peaceful protest order until Friday night. The Syrian president’s credibility is shot. Fouad Ajami, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, unsparingly described Bashar and Asma al-Assad as frauds. Not a good prognosis. May 12, 2011 10:18pm EDT -- Report as abuse larrymtl wrote: Reuters first should know the difference between Syria and Libya: See in the article: “The United States and Europe have imposed economic sanctions on a handful of senior Libyan officials but not on Assad.” May 12, 2011 12:03am EDT -- Report as abuse See All Comments » Add Your Comment Social Stream (What's this?) © Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Reader Feedback Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Analyst Research Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week FindLaw Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service Reuters on Facebook Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

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