Syria: Sixteen months of unrest

It has been 16 months since the violence in Syria began and the time after Friday prayers continues to be an opportunity for dissent to be voiced.

Friday saw further protests across the country against the government and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Amateur video purportedly showed a demonstration in the Waer neighbourhood of Homs. There were also reports of similar demonstrations in the northern city of Aleppo and Assad’s home province, Latakia.

Meanwhile, the continuing conflict is hampering UN efforts to monitor the situation, according to Major General Robert Mood, the head of the UN mission to Syria.

“The escalating violence is now limiting our ability to observe, to verify, to report, as well as assist in local dialogue, and stability projects,” he said.

Monitors blame the escalating violence on both sides. However, activists claim the government is still carrying out artillery attacks using helicopters and tanks in the usual hotspots such as Homs and Aleppo.

Unverified footage showed a room full of dead bodies – people supposedly killed in government attacks in Deraa. It was unclear exactly when they died.

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