"Today the largest rally against the militants ever took place in Kafr Batna," Syrian human rights activist Ammar Jamal told reporters. "Up to 10,000 people went to the streets demanding the militants to leave their settlement."
Witness reports on social media hold that militants opened fire on the demonstrators, reportedly killing one and injuring nine.
According to Jamal, the citizens marching shouted slogans in support of the Syrian Arab Army and the government and demanded that the militants besieging their town either leave entirely or provide passage to the humanitarian corridor for noncombatants.
#EastGhouta: Terrorist #Rahman_Legion opens fire on anti_terrorist protests in #KafrBatna: One person dead and 9 injured#FromSyria
— Ahmad Al-Issa (@ahmadalissa) 12 марта 2018 г.
#Syria #Damascus #EastGhouta
Kafr Batna town: the martyrdom of a demonstrator and wounding four others by the gunmen of Rahman Corps who shot at the demonstration that came out a little while ago.
— maytham (@maytham956) 12 марта 2018 г.
Thousands of civilians in the East #Ghouta terrorist-held towns of Hazza, Hamuriyah, Kafr Batna, Saqba and Jisrin march in support of the Syrian government and praising the Syrian Army with placards. — via @Syria_Hezb_Iran #Syria #SAA pic.twitter.com/5InN4ue06V
— Paul Antonopoulos (@oulosP) 12 марта 2018 г.
More rallys in #KafrBatna #Hamouriya & #Saqba calling for a peaceful entrance of #SAA & denouncing rebel groups. Today is the 6th consecutive day this happens pic.twitter.com/ccTMd3KhA6
— Danny Makki (@Dannymakkisyria) 12 марта 2018 г.
Such rallies have become a common sight in Eastern Ghouta in the last two weeks. Citizens from numerous settlements have raised Syrian flags in plazas and demanded that militants leave Ghouta and allow access to the humanitarian corridors.
The militants in Eastern Ghouta fire mortars at Damascus every day from nearby settlements, including Kafr Batna.
