6 Protesters killed in Syria on first day of Muslim al-Adha holiday

Six people were killed Sunday in central Syria, as anti-government protests erupted in several cities calling for the downfall of the ruling authorities on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, an activists group said. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was quoted by satellite TV stations as saying that five people were killed in the focal point province of Homs and another in central Hama province by security forces' gunfire. The deaths could not be independently verified at the current stage. Sunday's incidents came a day after the government had freed 553 prisoners who had been involved in the seven-month-old unrest, excluding those who committed murder. The amnesty took place on the eve of the Eid al-Adha, one of the most important feasts on the Muslim calendar which is celebrated by sacrificial killing of goats, cows or camels. It also came in line with the Arab League (AL)'s recommendations that urged President Bashar al-Assad to release all prisoners arrested since the outbreak of the turmoil that started in mid-March, withdraw army vehicles from unrest-strewn areas, and embark on national dialogue with the opposition to end the crisis. Accusations have been exchanged in Syria regarding the widespread unrest, with the government blaming the crisis on armed groups, whilst the opposition accusing the security forces of committing atrocities against the civilians. Lately, the Syrian media has been giving accounts about horrible crimes allegedly committed in the central Homs province by unidentified terrorist groups that claimed the lives of dozens of army personnel and civilians following the Syrian government's approval of the AL plan on Nov. 2 that was meant to bring the Syrian crisis to a close. However, opposition groups shouldered the Syrian army and security force full responsibility for the bloodshed over the past week in central Syria and cast doubts over the government's real intention to put an end to violence. And the bloody week has cast fears whether Syria could live up to its pledge. AL Secretary General Nabil Arabi on Saturday expressed worries and concerns regarding acts of violence in Syria despite its government's approval on the plan of action to solve the crisis. Arabi warned all the concerned parties that failing to respond to the Arab solution would lead to catastrophic results in both Syria and the entire region, adding that "the AL is working to maintain security and stability in Syria and to avoid foreign interference." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to meet shortly with representatives of the Syrian national council in Cairo to press ahead with launching a dialogue with the regime. Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Bin Hili has reportedly said that there is an under-discussion suggestion that the dialogue begins in Cairo and move later on to Syria. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Egypt's official news agency MENA reported that the AL would hold a ministerial meeting on Saturday as the regional bloc found the Syrian government had failed to implement the Arab peace initiative.