Friday prayers again exploded into protests in cities nearly across the Arab world April 8. In Syria [2] security forces killed at least 10 people in the southern city of Deraa, while in the east, ethnic Kurds [3] demonstrated for reform despite President Bashir Assad's offer this week to ease rules which bar many of them from obtaining citizenship [4]. In Yemen [5], two people were shot dead and 25 wounded as security forces fired on protesters in the southern city of Taiz. (Reuters [6], April 8)
In Egypt [5], tens of thousands massed in Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square to demand that former regime officials be purged and put on trial, including ousted president Hosni Mubarak. Draped in Egyptian flags, Muslims were joined by Christians as they gathered for weekly prayers in a protest dubbed the "Day of Trial and Cleansing" to press the ruling military council on promised reforms and justice. (Middle East Online [7], April 8)
See our last post on the regional revolutions [8].
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