'The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend' In Syria

Syrian protesters wave flags, including the green-white-red one of Chechnya Ichkeria (center), in Ras al-Ain on February 6.

Antigovernment protesters in Syria have expressed their outrage at the veto by Russia and China of a resolution in the UN Security Council condemning the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

At a demonstration in Ras al-Ain, in addition to the usual Syrian flags, demonstrators also waved a flag of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria, the secessionist government that fought two wars with Moscow in the 1990s and continues an insurgency today.

The resolution was drafted by Arab League countries and submitted to the Security Council by Morocco -- with Western backing -- after Arab League monitors witnessed Syrian Army snipers killing unarmed protesters.

The Arab League's plan called for Assad to step down and be replaced by his deputy until elections can be held. Russia said it put too much blame on Assad's regime for the deaths in Syria.

-- RFE/RL Newsroom