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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (1) Slideshow Video Full Focus Photos of the week Our top photos from the past week. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Texas governor calls for prayers for rain amid fires 21 Apr 2011 Americans hold dim view of U.S. economic outlook: poll 21 Apr 2011 Another guy leaves "Idol" as Stefano voted off 21 Apr 2011 British tourist saves toddler in four-story fall 21 Apr 2011 Investigators follow tips in search for Tennessee woman 21 Apr 2011 Discussed 97 Palin returns with feisty, anti-establishment speech 48 Budget vote shows challenge for Boehner, Obama 43 Obama private comments show fight with Republicans Watched VW unveils new sporty Beetle Mon, Apr 18 2011 Size matters at New York Auto Show Thu, Apr 21 2011 Surprise legal defeat for Mattel Thu, Apr 21 2011 Prayers test Syria's Assad's response to protests Tweet Share this By Khaled Yacoub Oweis AMMAN (Reuters) - The Syrian army deployed overnight in the flashpoint city of Homs, witnesses said, ahead of Friday prayers that have been marked by intensifying protests in the last five weeks against authoritarian... Email Print Related News Protests will topple Syria's Assad, Khaddam says Thu, Apr 21 2011 Lifting Syria's emergency law "useless": Maleh Thu, Apr 21 2011 Analysis & Opinion As its power declines, the U.S. pays the price China says everything normal at restive Tibetan temple Related Topics World » Syria » Related Video Syrian protesters shot dead in Homs Wed, Apr 20 2011 Police fire on protesters in Syria 1 / 19 Syria's President Bashar al-Assad delivers a speech to a new cabinet he named last week during a broadcast by Syrian state television in Damascus in this still image taken from video April 16, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Syrian TV via Reuters TV By Khaled Yacoub Oweis AMMAN | Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:02pm EDT AMMAN (Reuters) - The Syrian army deployed overnight in the flashpoint city of Homs, witnesses said, ahead of Friday prayers that have been marked by intensifying protests in the last five weeks against authoritarian rule. The prayers will test whether President Bashar al-Assad's decision Thursday to lift emergency law, imposed by his Baath Party when it took power in a coup 48 years ago, will defuse mass discontent with repression and corruption. Aided by his family and a pervasive security apparatus, Assad, 45, has absolute power in Syria. More than 220 protesters have been killed since pro- democracy protests erupted on March 18 in the southern city of Deraa, including 21 protesters killed this week in Homs, rights campaigners say. A decree Assad signed Thursday that lifted emergency law is seen by the opposition as little more than symbolic, since other laws still give entrenched security forces wide powers. Human Right Watch said Assad "has the opportunity to prove his intentions by allowing (Friday's) protests to proceed without violent repression. "The reforms will only be meaningful if Syria's security services stop shooting, detaining, and torturing protesters," said Joe Stork, the group's deputy Middle East director. A rights activist said trucks carrying soldiers and vehicles equipped with machine guns were seen on the main highway from Damascus to Homs, a central city that has emerged as the new focal point of protests. ARMY PATROLS Residents organized neighborhood patrols after 21 protesters were shot dead Monday and Tuesday by security police and gunmen known as 'al-shabbiha'. Soldiers in groups of five patrolled the streets of Homs overnight on foot. Plain-clothed security police and security police wearing camouflage uniforms were also present, two witnesses said. "We are determined on totally peaceful protests... we rejoice at the downfall of the state of emergency. It was not lifted, it was toppled... With the help of God, we will embark on freedom," a comment on a Facebook page run by activists said. Emergency rule has been used since Assad's Baath Party seized power to justify arbitrary arrests and detention and a ban on all opposition. Assad's conciliatory move to lift the state of emergency followed a familiar pattern since the unrest began a month ago: pledges of reform are made before Friday when demonstrations are the strongest, and are usually followed by an intense crackdown. The authorities have blamed armed groups, infiltrators and Sunni Muslim militant organizations for provoking violence at demonstrations by firing on civilians and security forces. Western and other Arab countries have mostly muted their criticism of the killings in Syria for fear of destabilizing the country, which plays a strategic role in many of the conflicts in the Middle East. Syria is technically at war with Israel but has kept its Golan Heights front with the Jewish state quiet since a 1974 ceasefire. It has long borders with Iraq, and supports the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the Shi'ite Hezbollah movement in neighboring Lebanon, also backed by Iran. (Editing by Peter Graff) World Syria Tweet this Share this Link 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 (1) NEWSTIME2010 wrote: All Royal Kingdoms and a like will fall soon as real democracy do not work. On the other hand Cuba have seen democracy in the horizon for more than 40 years and figure out that it is just something in the horizon anyhow. The smorgasbord is to small even if you would taste the communism. Apr 21, 2011 11:11pm 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. 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