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| 'Many killed' in Syrian jail riot | 'Many killed' in Syrian jail riot |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Clashes between guards and prisoners at a jail in Syria have resulted in many deaths, a human-rights group says. | Clashes between guards and prisoners at a jail in Syria have resulted in many deaths, a human-rights group says. |
| The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 25 people had been killed after military police fired live bullets at Islamist inmates. | The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 25 people had been killed after military police fired live bullets at Islamist inmates. |
| The Syrian authorities have so far not commented on the situation, which remains unclear. One inmate told the BBC he believed more than 25 had died. | |
| Prisoners said the clashes were sparked by raids in which guards beat inmates. | Prisoners said the clashes were sparked by raids in which guards beat inmates. |
| They said the guards had also desecrated copies of the Koran. | They said the guards had also desecrated copies of the Koran. |
| The inmates said the early-morning raids were in response to a protest by detainees several weeks ago about conditions at Saydnaya Prison near Damascus, which houses chiefly Islamist and political prisoners. | The inmates said the early-morning raids were in response to a protest by detainees several weeks ago about conditions at Saydnaya Prison near Damascus, which houses chiefly Islamist and political prisoners. |
| Billowing smoke | Billowing smoke |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted a political prisoner reached by mobile phone inside the jail as saying that the riot had been started by Islamist inmates. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted a political prisoner reached by mobile phone inside the jail as saying that the riot had been started by Islamist inmates. |
| A number of prisoners had climbed on to the roof of the prison to escape continued shooting with live ammunition by guards, the group said on its website. | A number of prisoners had climbed on to the roof of the prison to escape continued shooting with live ammunition by guards, the group said on its website. |
| "The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights demands that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad intervenes immediately to stop this massacre," it said. | "The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights demands that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad intervenes immediately to stop this massacre," it said. |
| The group told the AFP news agency that several hundred soldiers were being held hostage in the jail in order to put pressure on the Syrian authorities. | The group told the AFP news agency that several hundred soldiers were being held hostage in the jail in order to put pressure on the Syrian authorities. |
| Ammar al-Qurabi, of Syria's National Organisation for Human Rights (NOHR), told al-Arabiya TV, a Dubai-based channel, that it was too early to get a clear figure of how many had been killed or injured. | Ammar al-Qurabi, of Syria's National Organisation for Human Rights (NOHR), told al-Arabiya TV, a Dubai-based channel, that it was too early to get a clear figure of how many had been killed or injured. |
| He said the authorities had viewed disobedience by the prisoners as rioting and so had responded with live ammunition. | He said the authorities had viewed disobedience by the prisoners as rioting and so had responded with live ammunition. |
| The NOHR hoped the incident would push Syrian officials to listen to detainees' complaints over conditions, he said, rather than using force. | The NOHR hoped the incident would push Syrian officials to listen to detainees' complaints over conditions, he said, rather than using force. |
| Muhannad al-Hassani, also from the NOHR, told the Associated Press news agency he could see smoke billowing from the building and prisoners standing on the roof. | Muhannad al-Hassani, also from the NOHR, told the Associated Press news agency he could see smoke billowing from the building and prisoners standing on the roof. |
| He said ambulances were carrying the injured to hospital. Meanwhile, Syrian troops had closed roads around the prison, he said, and phone lines in the area had been cut off. | He said ambulances were carrying the injured to hospital. Meanwhile, Syrian troops had closed roads around the prison, he said, and phone lines in the area had been cut off. |
| A Beirut-based human-rights activist in contact with the inmates by telephone told the AP that at least nine people were dead. | A Beirut-based human-rights activist in contact with the inmates by telephone told the AP that at least nine people were dead. |