Syria's Assad sacks key governor

2 July 2011 Last updated at 10:14 GMT The BBC's Lina Sinjab on Friday's protests in Hama and other Syrian cities

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has sacked the governor of the city of Hama, which saw mass anti-government protests on Friday, state TV has said.

It said Mr Assad had signed a decree removing Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz.

Friday saw some of the biggest demonstrations yet against the rule of Mr Assad.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets nationwide, with human rights groups saying that at least 24 people had been killed by security forces.

Activists say more than 1,350 civilians and 350 security personnel have been killed since protests began in mid-March.

Dissident conference

Tens of thousands of people were said to have taken part in protests in Hama on Friday.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said it was "the biggest demonstration since the Syrian Revolution broke out" on 15 March.

Some activists put the number of protesters nationwide on Friday at three million

One resident told BBC Arabic on Friday: "Hundreds of thousands are chanting 'Leave, leave, the people want the fall of the regime.' All of Hama is celebrating. There are people chanting from their windows and from the fronts of their homes. All of Hama is on the streets."

State television, in a newsflash on Saturday, said: "The Syrian president signed a decree today relieving Dr Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz of his post as governor of Hama."

Correspondents say there were reports the army had eased its presence in the city earlier in the week.

Hama was the scene of a Muslim Brotherhood uprising against Mr Assad's father, Hafez, in 1982, which the army crushed, killing at least 10,000 people.

Mr Assad had sacked the governor of the southern city of Deraa in March after days of protests there.

Protests were also reported on Friday in the capital, Damascus, the second city of Aleppo, Latakia and the flashpoint city of Homs.

Many of those reported killed were said to have died in north-western Idlib province, where there has been a heavy army crackdown on dissent.

Some activists put the number of protesters nationwide at three million.

The figures cannot be independently verified as the Syrian authorities have banned most foreign media from the country.

Speaking on Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that time was running out for Syria's government to usher in reforms.

The renewed protests on Friday came despite the holding of a landmark dissident conference in Damascus last week.

It was the first time in almost four decades that dissidents had met in public without fear of arrest.

The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones in Beirut says that although the Syrian government has been allowing some dissidents to air their views, whatever the administration does, the protests keep on happening.

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Assad holds hard line on unrest

20 June 2011 Last updated at 22:05 GMT President Bashar al-Assad: "The strength of the state stems from the strength of the people... let the people and the state come together"

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed anti-government protests on a small group of "saboteurs".

In his third address to the nation since protests began in March, he said Syria should deal with people's demands for reform but that a "small faction" was exploiting popular grievances.

He said a national dialogue would shape Syria's future and urged people who had fled to Turkey to return.

After the speech there were reports of further protests in several cities.

Local co-ordinators for the protesters said reforms were no longer their demand. The only solution was a change of regime, their spokesman Ali Othman told the BBC.

Continue reading the main story Jim Muir BBC News

President Assad's latest speech is unlikely to change the course of the country's history. It was essentially an update on the second address he gave, on 16 April, in which he gave his new cabinet ministers their marching orders with the emphasis on political and economic reforms.

His new speech was greeted with immediate scepticism by activists and protesters, who took to the streets in several towns to declare their "revolution" would continue.

If there was one tangible new gesture, it came with Mr Assad's statement that he had asked the justice ministry to expand the scope of the qualified amnesty issued on 31 May.

But for much of his speech, he dwelt on his "absolute conviction" about the reform process and the national dialogue that he said must underpin it.

Other opposition activists said Mr Assad's speech was addressed to his loyalists - not to his opponents.

Protesters complained that there was no announcement on ending the violence, nor was there any mention of holding the security services accountable for the crackdown, the BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus reports.

But Mr Assad's supporters said the speech was encouraging and responsive to people's demands.

Syrian government spokeswoman Bouthaina Shaaban told the BBC that the majority of Syrians "consider that today is a new dawn for the future of Syria".

Rights groups say at least 1,300 civilians have been killed in demonstrations since March, and more than 300 soldiers and police.

The speech comes as European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels warned of further sanctions against Syria.

A statement said the sanctions would be aimed at achieving "a fundamental change of policy by the Syrian leadership without delay".

Meanwhile, the US said it wanted to see "action, not words" on the reforms pledged by Mr Assad.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said the speech was "not enough".

"Assad should clearly and precisely say: 'Everything has changed. We're transforming the system into a multi-party one. Everything will be organised according to the Syrian's people will, and I will be carrying out this process,'" he told journalists in Ankara.

"As soon as the Syrian president says that he will lead the transition in his country, we will see that things will change."

'Vandalism' Speaking in a televised address to supporters at Damascus University on Monday, Mr Assad expressed regret about the protest deaths, saying that they were a great loss to the nation and him personally.

But he said the "saboteurs", who had smeared the image of Syria across the world during the protests, had to be isolated.

"What is happening today has nothing to do with reform, it has to do with vandalism," he said.

"The demands of the street do not justify inflicting damage on the country."

Mr Assad also said a national dialogue authority was being set up to create a reform plan, and another committee would be created to examine the constitution.

"We must give this dialogue a chance because the future of Syria depends on it," he said, adding that he expected a reform package by September.

He said he had instructed the justice minister to consider expanding a recent amnesty.

Continue reading the main story 30 March: In address to parliament, described unrest as conspiracy against Syria by its foreign enemies16 April: In TV address, announces end to emergency law, expresses sadness over deaths and calls for national dialogueMr Assad also urged thousands of people who had fled into Turkey to return to their homes "as soon as possible".

He referred in particular to the residents of Jisr al-Shughour, where armed forces recently took control after violence in which more than 100 security personnel were killed.

"The state will protect them," he said.

President Assad's latest speech came a day after opposition activists announced the creation of a body to lead the protests.

The council urged people to "co-operate in all cities and provinces of Syria to achieve the legitimate goal of overthrowing the regime", according to AFP news agency.

More than 10,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the Turkish border, and Ankara says another 10,000 are sheltering on the Syrian side.

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