Thousands Rally in Damascus to Support Syrian President

Thousands of people rallied in central Damascus on Wednesday in a show of support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad which has been shaken by mass protests for nearly seven months.

An Agence France Presse journalist witnessing the demonstration said it had begun with a call on the Facebook page "My homeland, Syria" of Assad supporters urging them to rally to "reinforce unity and solidarity with the families of martyrs and thank Russia and China for their stand against the conspiracy" targeting Syria.

The demonstration was also aimed at denouncing the "Syrian National Council (SNC)", an umbrella body formally set up on October 2, pulling together most of the groups opposing the Syrian leader.

Placards in the central Sabaat Bahrat district proclaimed "The army and people with you, Bashar Assad" and "Syria is our country and Assad our president." Dominating the area was a giant portrait of the president.

Russia and China -- both members of the U..N Security Council -- used their vetoes on October 4 to block a Western resolution threatening the Syrian regime with "measures" if it did not end the bloody repression on demonstrators.

According to the United Nations, the repression has resulted in more than 2,900 deaths since mid-March.

Syrian authorities do not recognize the extent of the opposition, and regularly accuse "armed terrorist gangs" as being behind the trouble.

The European Union on Tuesday welcomed the creation of the SNC which at present is only recognized by the former rebels and now new rulers in Libya.