Tens of thousands of people rallied Tuesday in central Damascus in support of President Bashar Assad, a day after he offered a national dialogue to end Syria's political crisis, an Agence France Presse correspondent said.
Omeyyades Square was turned into a sea of pro-Assad demonstrators, waving Syrian flags and the president's portrait, chanting, "We will sacrifice ourselves for you, Bashar!"
State television said a huge demonstration in support of Assad was also being held in Homs, a flashpoint city north of Damascus.
In a speech Monday, three months into anti-regime protests and a crackdown by security forces that has cost hundreds of lives, Assad said a national dialogue could lead to a new constitution but refused to reform Syria under "chaos."
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