AMMAN — Two groups of Syrians gathered outside the Syrian embassy on Friday to hold competing demonstrations in opposition to and in support of the regime.

Both demonstrations concluded peacefully. 

Ahmad Mahamid, who came on Friday to support the regime, described the opposition protesters as “traitors”.

“They betrayed their country. These people want to bring chaos to Syria,” he alleged, adding that he took part in the pro-Assad demonstration, alongside around 80 other people, to express his anger over the “conspiracy” being carried out against his country.

“There are several countries that want to bring instability into Syria in order to take control of the country. Many military groups have been deployed around Syria to fight our brave army,” Mahamid claimed.

Mahmoud Ali agreed, saying that all media outlets are publishing false reports to convince the world that Syria is not safe, which he claimed is not true. 

“I always go to Syria, especially during these days, and nothing serious is happening back home,” Ali said, adding that even the Arab League observers currently monitoring the unrest in Syria have assured the world that the situation is under control.

The Arab League mission, which began last Monday, has been met with scepticism from the Syrian opposition and the West about its ability to halt Assad’s crackdown on opposition demonstrators, with activists saying the Syrian security forces continue to kill civilians despite the monitors’ presence, Reuters reported Saturday.

Meanwhile, participants in a larger demonstration of some 200 supporters of the Syrian opposition on Friday described the counter-protesters as paid thugs.

“These guys were definitely paid to show up. When demonstrators defeat the regime, they will ask to join us,” Abu Asem told The Jordan Times during the demonstration. 

Meanwhile, the anti-Assad protesters expressed anger and dissatisfaction over what the Arab observers, who they said were being shown a sanitised version of the reality on the ground.

Khaldoun Zu’bi, who arrived in Amman from Syria 20 days ago, said the Arab observers are not visiting the cities that have witnessed bloodshed and crimes.

“They are friends of the regime and they have not shown any sign of cooperation with the Syrian opposition,” the Hauran-born Zu’bi told The Jordan Times while waving the resistance flag.

Younes Mahasneh alleged that the Assad regime signed the deal to let observers monitor a plan to end the bloodshed because they were sure that the observers would not stand against the crimes they commit daily. 

He also described the conditions Syrians are facing as “abject”. 

“The regime detains and kills civilians randomly, and people can hardly find food,” he stressed.

Abu Bakir Saman, from Damascus, said “words cannot describe the nightmare in the Syrian prisons”. 

“The regime carries out several forms of torture. They even imprison more than 30 people together in a cell meant for solitary confinement,” he told The Jordan Times, adding that foreign military intervention is needed to put an end to the instability in Syria.