Muslim union urges ‘Day of Rage’ for Syria rebels

Doha: A Sunni Muslim union headed by influential cleric Shaikh Yousuf Al Qaradawi on Friday called for a “Day of Rage and Support” for rebels fighting Syrian regime troops.

The Association of Muslim Scholars urged its millions of supporters to demonstrate, stage peaceful sit-ins, make speeches and pray for the Syrian rebels on Friday, June 14.

The Qatar-based group strongly condemned “the horrific crimes... committed by the Syrian regime, with support from Iran and its tails in Lebanon, in Qusayr,” the town rebels were ousted from on Wednesday.

Syria’s 26-month civil war erupted after forces loyal to President Bashar Al Assad, who belongs to the Alawite offshoot of Shiite Islam, waged a bloody crackdown on democracy protests.

The conflict pitting regime forces backed by Iran and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah against largely Sunni insurgents has killed at least 94,000 people.

On Thursday, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia urged governments and fellow clerics to punish Hezbollah for its intervention in the war.