TheNewArab reports: Anti-regime activists defied on-going regime air-strikes across rebel-held areas of Syria on Friday to launch a series of protests against the government.

Although the country’s civil society has reacted negatively to a new ceasefire which could leave Bashar al-Assad’s regime in power at least until the next general election, activists took advantage of the lull in bombing to hold protests.

Regime forces responded to demonstrations in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus, with heavy shelling. Twenty-one civilians have reportedly died in the Damascus countryside town over the last twenty-four hours. [Continue reading…]