The rallies came a day after a speech by President Assad offered a vague plan for reform but was rejected by the opposition, whose supporters took to the streets immediately afterward, shouting "Liar!" Assad had shown no sign of readiness to end his family's long political domination of Syria, a key opposition demand.
On Tuesday, tens of thousands of Syrians took part in boisterous pro-regime demonstrations, shouting, "The people want Bashar Assad!" and releasing black, white and red balloons – colours of the Syrian flag.
The largest gathering appeared to be in Damascus, but Syrian state TV showed similar demonstrations in the northern cities of Aleppo and Latakia, Hasaka in the northeast, and the southern city of Dera'a.
Assad's speech – and Tuesday's demonstrations – showed the president clearly intends to try to ride out the wave of pro-democracy protests, showing the steely determination that has kept the Assad family in power for 40 years.
But the mobilised opposition appeared to be digging in as well, bracing for a showdown in one of the deadliest uprisings of the Arab Spring.
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