Syrians rally in solidarity with embattled president

Thousands of Syrians thronged public squares in several Syrian provinces on Wednesday to demonstrate solidarity with embattled President Bashar al-Assad. The rallies were held to mark the 41st anniversary of the " correctionist movement" led by former President Hafez al-Assad, father of the current president. They were also meant to denounce a decision by the Arab League (AL) to suspend Syria's membership in the organization ahead of a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Moroccan capital of Rabat that aims to discuss measures for the Syrian crisis. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem initially announced that Syria would take part in the ministerial meeting, but member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council warned that they would not attend the meeting if Syria did. A source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said late Tuesday that Syria had decided to boycott the AL meeting in Morocco in protest of some statements by Moroccan officials. The source, whose remarks were carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), said that "Syria's initial decision to participate in the Rabat meeting was taken in compliance with the desire of some sisterly countries, but in light of the statements, of which we have been informed from officials in Morocco, Syria has decided not to attend." The source did not disclose the contents of these statements. Syria has been in unrest for about eight months. Foreign reports said 3,500 Syrians had been killed since the anti- government protests erupted in March, while Syrian government said hundreds of security and army personnel were killed by armed groups backed by a foreign conspiracy with the aim of toppling the Assad government. The Free Syrian Army, an alleged group of army defectors, reportedly said they had attacked several military sites, including an intelligence facility and some military checkpoints near the capital of Damascus on Tuesday and early Wednesday. The opposition's report, however, could not be independently verified with the absence of official reaction. Meanwhile, al-Watan newspaper said that more than 100 people were kidnapped over the past few days in the al-Zahra neighborhood in the central province of Homs, adding that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in Homs and has further tensed the situation there. The paper said seven mutilated bodies were found in the al- Muhajereen area in Homs on Tuesday, adding that two army members were killed and 25 others injured in different attacks in the city. In another central province of Hama, a law-enforcement agent was killed and eight others wounded in an ambush by armed groups in Kafr Zeita. In a related development, SANA said the Syrian authorities seized a large number of advanced communication devices from some armed groups in several areas in the country.