ultimatum for perpetrators of unlawful acts

acts” to give themselves up, as a wave of arrests was reported across the country.
The ultimatum came as activists planned fresh anti-government demonstrations following the deaths of dozens of people in weekend protests.
In a statement, the interior ministry told “citizens who have participated in or committed unlawful acts such as bearing arms, attacking security or spreading lies to surrender by May 15 and hand their weapons in to the competent authorities”.
It also called on Syrians to “supply information about saboteurs, terrorists and arms caches . . . they will be spared any subsequent legal consequences.”
A military spokesman yesterday announced the arrest of 499 people in the southern flashpoint town of Daraa, a week after thousands of troops backed by tanks swooped on the town to crush protests.
The spokesman also announced the deaths of two members of the security forces “as well as 10 terrorists”.
Eight soldiers were wounded and five gunmen waiting in ambush were arrested, the military added.
According to the opposition Syrian Revolution 2011 website, security forces yesterday at dawn also entered the Kafar Nubbol area, 320km north of Damascus, and took over houses and arrested 26 people.
The site – a driving force behind the protests – urged Syrians across the country to mobilise every day at noon in solidarity with Daraa and all “besieged towns”.
“We say to this regime: ‘The court of the people will judge you’,” it said.
President Bashar al-Assad’s government has persistently blamed the violence on “armed criminal gangs” and “terrorist groups.”
Hundreds of dissidents were arrested on Sunday, including in Daraa and the besieged Damascus suburb of Douma, after dozens of people were killed in weekend protests, activists said. – Reuters.