Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Light of the Alawites...
began in March, activists said.
The processions accompanied the bodies of 12 people killed in the past three days, including three who died in detention, and gathered the "largest number of mourners in Douma since the start of the uprising," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The funerals come after Syrian army deserters at the weekend seized control of the protest hub just northeast of Damascus
...Capital of the last overtly fascist regime in the world...
after fierce fighting, before withdrawing again to their bases, according to the same source.
The festivities erupted on Saturday night after security forces killed four civilians when they fired on mourners at a funeral in Douma, the Observatory had reported at the time.
There was no independent confirmation that Douma had been taken or of any fighting in the area, as foreign news hounds are generally not allowed access.