Assad to address Syria,army deployed

Dozens have died in pro-democracy demonstrations in Deraa and nearby Sanamein as well as Latakia,Damascus and other towns over the last week. The government says unnamed armed groups,possibly backed by foreign powers,are trying to stir sectarian conflict across Syria.

The Interior Ministry urged citizens on state television to ignore untruthful appeals in text messages and leaflets to join a rally in Damascuss Umayyad Square on Sunday. It said they should stay away for their own safety.

The dispatch of troops to the streets of Latakia on Saturday signals growing government alarm about the ability of the security police to maintain order there.

There is a feeling in Latakia that the presence of disciplined troops is necessary to keep order, one resident told Reuters. We do not want looting.

The unrest in Syria came to a head after police detained more than a dozen schoolchildren for scrawling graffiti inspired by pro-democracy protests across the Arab world.

In another move to placate protesters,Syrian authorities on Sunday released a lawyer,Diana Jawabra,along with 15 others who were arrested for taking part in a silent protest demanding the release of the children responsible for the graffiti.