Syrian refugees tell of government atrocities

The Syrian dictator is slaughtering his own people to keep a grip on the power his family has held for 40 years. A slow but persistent rebellion started back in March. And now there is a new surge in violence near the Turkish border.

American reporters can't get into Syria, but the Associated Press quotes activists as saying at least 32 people were killed Friday. CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer has reached the Syrian refugees who have fled the violence and heard their stories.

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It's a short but traumatic bus ride to safety for these frightened Syrian families. More than 3,000 of them have crossed the border, and are now facing an uncertain future living in tents.

Once again anti-government protests erupted across Syria. Activists posted their videos on YouTube.

But in Yayladagi camp, the refugees are hearing of atrocities that no one has pictures of.

Turkish police don't let journalists talk to them directly; so we contacted one man by phone who told us Syrian troops had attacked the city today with tanks and fired on women and children. "Oh, please" he said, breaking down "help us."

In the months since the antigovernment protests began, human rights organizations say the Syrian military has fired on unarmed civilians and beaten and tortured prisoners.

They estimate 1,300 have been killed. But the government's brutality and overconfidence just seems to deepen resentment among the people..

Just a few minutes ago, somebody told the refugees that Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, had stepped down.

And they're ecstatic - but it's not true.

But it shows where their sympathies lie.

In a nearby hospital, we slipped into the room of a young Syrian man still in shock with multiple gunshot wounds.

Terrified of being identified on camera, he told us Syrian troops had fired on mourners at the funeral of a protestor just over the border.

With all foreign journalists barred from Syria, it's impossible to verify these accounts.

But the Turkish government is taking them very seriously.

They're already building two new refugee camps, bracing for 10,000 more people running for their lives.

Late Friday, reports were coming in of an especially large pro-democracy rally on the Syrian side of the border near the tent city, a protest which was broken up with extreme violence by the Syrian military. Five people were reported to have been killed.

Sources have told Palmer that Syria is not allowing refugees to freely leave the country. The refugees are forced to pick their way across the fields but they're not being allowed to get to the main border crossing. In effect, Syrian troops are penning them inside their country

[larkin1974]

Libya, Yemen... Why these and not Syria? This "hitler" approach to mass murder has to stop!

Bomb the crap out of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

[longtree-2009]

syria, iran, egypt, libya, jordan, iraq, saudi arabia, yemen, and et al have problems, serious problems. the usa can't, and shouldn't, do a thing about it. the usa can't afford it financially and the usa has an all volunteer military. if obama chooses to involve the nation in yet another war, obama needs to start up the military draft for males and females ages 18-50. obama is a lot like bush in starting wars to eliminate regimes. bush eliminated saddam and now obama is at war to eliminate qaddafi of libya. nato is mostly financed by the usa while other nation states are stingy as blazes and don't even field enough of their military resources.

[T-Prop]

Wow!

They've learned from Hitler's SS.

How refreshing this is still practiced!
.

[honest_pols]

THE WORLD STILL DOESN'T UNDERSTAND SYRIAN BRUTALITY

It would be morally correct to help overthrow this barbaric regime by military force!

[myth1958]

To continue to protest in the face of such brutal responses shows more guts than I have. The Syrian people don't want their dictator - and who blames them? Nobody wants Qaddafi, either, and his equally-genocidal actions prove that their populations are right in trying to change things so they can find work and feed their families. But I wouldn't dare.

[euge005]

No one wanted Bush's war of aggression in Iraq either, which is why they fought us. They dared and lost 150,000 people murdered. And we did not have the guts to impeach them nor now that they have no official power do we have the guts to try them for the murders. We cannot return to being a force for good until we atone for the Chaney era sins and take back the money the oil companies stole from those people.

[roblearns]

Hey I've got an idea lets go to war in Syria. What the heck, lets get on the phone with our financiers in China, and see if we can swing one more war.

[tiktin]

Americans need to understand that what is happening in Syria can happen here. Liberty only lasts as long as people are willing to fight for it. When you let the government start taking it away, bit by bit, for whatever reason, it will soon be gone.

[morriswise]

Solving the overpopulation problem in the Middle East is now possible. The invention of the Vasclip has made male sterilization a ten minute procedure. An offer of a free music player as a reward will entice millions of the homeless to have the Vasclip inserted. Presto!!, the overpopulation problem will be solved for less than two bucks a breeder.

[stevex47]

Thank you Turkey for taking in as many refugees as you can.

[silvalgal]

Where is Bashir al-Assad? He needs to show his face and address the dire, humanitarian crisis in his country that is now affecting neighboring countries such as Turkey. The ineffective, unimpressive wimp non-leader Assad needs to come out of luxurious hiding and show his face and make a statement - it's overdue, and the world has little patience left with Assad, his family and their brutal and backward regime.