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Syrian Opposition Protests against Assad after Ceasefire | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Hundreds of Syrians protest in Aleppo on March 4- A.F.P


Hundreds of Syrians protest in Aleppo on March 4- A.F.P

Hundreds of Syrians protest in Aleppo on March 4- A.F.P

Beirut- Syrian cities subject to Syrian Opposition’s control on Friday witnessed the return of nonviolent protests. Demonstrations had been put on hold for three years now. Marchers across each of the Syrian towns Aleppo, Azaz, Saraqib, Talbiseh, Duma and Daraa all demanded the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad and his administration. They also rallied against the presence of Russians and foreign militias fighting side by side with Assad.

Protests resumed after the seventh day of the truce that halted hostile actions and was made possible by both Russia and the U.S.
Despite the violations on ceasefire, war crimes and strikes diminished on the larger scale.

Protests confirm the Syrian Opposition’s peaceful approach. Syrian demonstrators said that “the revolution will continue the way it first launched”. The protests “represent a message sent out to the international community that the demands on the regime being ousted are still present, just the way they were on the first protesting moment on the 15 March 2011”, they added.

The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces member Khaled al-Nasser told Asharq Al-Awsat that the protests coming together across towns is a living “proof that the revolution is ongoing and that nonviolence is its true method.”

“The revolution with its comprehensive popularity still stands by its first demands despite all the tragedies, sacrifices, martyrs and the uprooting Syrians have suffered over the past five years,” Al-Nasser added.

Furthermore, Free Syrian Army Legal Advisor Osama Abu Zaid said that “the message behind thousands of protestors going out to the streets in nonviolent demonstrations is clear and confirms that all the bombardment and killings were the only reason they ever paused their street march.

Abu Zaid told Asharq Al-Awsat, that the now picture “confirms that what is happening is not among the lines of a power-seeking opposition and an authority-hogging regime, it’s a popular revolution, and the revolution continues, and has been coerced to a time off because of the destructive policy the regime has allowed itself to undertake.

“Nonviolence is the major aspect for the Syrian revolution ever since they went out demanding the deposition of Assad.”

After Friday’s prayer on March 4, protests pounded the pavement in Opposition-dominated areas, avoiding ISIS and al-Nusra Front subjugated regions.

Seven demands headlined the protests, the “deposition of Assad”, “lifting the barricade off of all regions, towns, and villages”, “allowing relief access in sufficient amounts”, “freeing all those captive” , “ the expelling of all Iranian Shi’ite terrorist sectarian militias from Syria” , “ the return of all refugees and those uprooted and resolving the demographic map to what it was before” and last but not least “the exit of all Russian forces from the country”.