Young people, students and professors rallied on the campus of the student housing at Damascus University in response to a call by the ruling Ba’ath party, to send a message of support for Moscow that stood by the Syrians in their war against terrorism.

The demonstrators raised national flags of the two countries and chanted slogans condemning the Western policies against Russia and confirming confidence in the victory of both nations over “terrorism and Nazism.”

A similar rally took place in Suguelbieh city, in central Hama province, where those gathered carried pictures of Presidents Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin, and then staged a parade of cars through the streets of the city.

The top Syrian authorities announced their support for Russia and their right to defend their security and compared the media campaign against Moscow to the one their country has been experienced since 2011.

pgh/iff/jf/fm