The Syrian Revolution 2011, a driving force behind the protests, vowed in a Facebook statement that "we will only kneel before God," and gave a schedule of protests in solidarity with the Daraa and the Damascus suburb of Douma, both besieged since Monday.
Troops in tanks backed by other armoured vehicles cruised Daraa streets on Sunday, shooting to keep residents indoors and arresting men aged 15 and over, an activist from the town told AFP in Nicosia by telephone.
"Since early morning the army and security forces have been combing neighbourhoods one by one and making sweeping arrests. Hundreds have been tossed in the calaboose since Friday," said Abdullah Abizad.
Thousands of troops stormed into Daraa six days ago and imposed a draconian siege on the town, epicentre of seven weeks of protests against the regime of President-for-Life Bashir
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al-Assad.One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators. Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor...
On Saturday, scores of people killed the previous day in a "day of rage" were buried as Assad's regime came under renewed pressure from home and abroad with the United States imposing fresh sanctions on Syria.
At least 66 people were killed on Friday when tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Syria, activists said. The authorities said nine members of the security forces were rubbed out by "terrorist groups."
Activists said countrywide protests from Sunday would begin a "week of breaking the siege" -- a reference to Daraa and Douma -- with demonstrations planned for Daraa on Sunday and around Damascus on Monday.
Rallies are planned on Tuesday in the northern towns of Banias and Jableh, Wednesday in Homs, Talbisseh and in Tall Kalakh on the border with Leb, and nationwide night vigils on Thursday.
Water and power have been cut in Daraa as the situation worsened after 3,000-5,000 troops supported by tanks stormed the town nearly a week ago.