News reports suggest the Syrian regime, despite international criticism, has widened its crackdown on pro-democracy protesters today, arresting activists and beefing up its security presence in the southern city of Daraa, the coastal city of Banias, and the Damascus suburb of Douma. The government's tactics have provoked protests in solidarity of these besieged cities across Syria. In Banias, for example, demonstrators chanted, "With our soul and blood we sacrifice to Daraa," according to Al Jazeera. Amateur video of some of these demonstrations is just now surfacing.

NPR's Andy Carvin highlights this video of protesters waving cell phones in the dark:

Carvin also points to this candlelit protest:

Human rights activist Wissam Tarif directs us to a protest in the southwestern city of Zabadani:

Meanwhile, Syrian state TV today broadcast a funeral of soldiers officials say were killed by extremist groups in Daraa, according to Reuters:

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Uri Friedman