YEMEN: Thousands of Shi'ites march through the Yemeni capital to call on the US not to strike Syria in a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad

Record ID: 214045

  • Title: YEMEN: Thousands of Shi'ites march through the Yemeni capital to call on the US not to strike Syria in a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad
  • Date: 6th September 2013
  • Summary: SANAA, YEMEN (SEPTEMBER 6, 2013) (REUTERS) MAINLY HOUTHI (SHIITE) MEN HOLDING BANNERS, SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FLAG, MARCHING AND SHOUTING SLOGANS IN SUPPORT OF SYRIA'S BASHAR AL-ASSAD MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING DOWN THE STREET MORE OF THE MEN MARCHING POSTER OF ASSAD AND HEZBOLLAH LEADER HASSAN NASRALLAH SIDE BY SIDE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SHOUTING SLOGANS IN ARABIC " OH DEATH ..DEATH TO AMERICA". PROTESTERS HOLDING POSTER WITH PICTURE OF ASSAD AND NASRALLAH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NAIF AL-GANES, PROTESTER SAYING: We are protesting today to oppose the possible strike against Syria by Americans and to show Yemeni solidarity with the Syrian army, pride and dignity" WRITING READING: "We shall not remain silent" (Arabic) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH A GIANT SYRIAN FLAG. MAN GIVING AWAY POSTERS OF ASSAD TO YOUTHS ( SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHAMED AL-RADHI, PROTESTER SAYING: "We are marching today through the streets to support our brothers in Syria and to protest against the possible American strike on Syria. We oppose this attack and we condemn all the Arab state which support military action" MORE OF PROTESTERS MARCHING THROUGH THE STREETS
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Yemen
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA16STGAL49WXXFA32UQ5DIBYBS
  • Story Text: Protesters loyal to the Shi'ite Muslim al-Houti group showed their support on Friday (September 6) to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite, and the leader of the Shi'ite Hezbollah group Hassan Nasrallah.
    Assad's Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.
    Nasrallah has joined Syrian government forces in its efforts to crush rebels as the US considers military strikes against Assad whose forces it holds responsible for an alleged chemical attack on August 21st.
    Hezbollah guerillas led Assad's fight to recapture border towns in June from mainly Sunni rebels.
    Meanwhile many Sunni jihadi fighters from Lebanon and other Arab countries have joined the fight against Assad.
    It is the second such Friday rally in Sanaa since the US condemned the chemical attack.
    The two-year conflict has killed 100,000 people inside Syria and the violence has spread across the border into Lebanon. Many fear any military action will further destabilise the whole region by the hardening sectarian divide.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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