“If We Didn’t Shoot at Protesters, They Would Shoot Us.”

Share:

November 9, 2011

FRONTLINE reporter Ramita Navai, who spent two weeks undercover in Syria, had this radio report on defectors from the Syrian Army on the “The World” yesterday.

Navai met with three men — each with his government-issued identity badge and uniform — who said they defected from the Army because they were forced to shoot on protesters.

“If we didn’t shoot at protesters, they would shoot us,” one defector told Navai. “I saw with my own eyes when my friend beside me refused to shoot at the protesters. A sniper shot him in the head.”

Play

Though the number of defectors who are joining armed opposition groups like the Free Syrian Army is disputed, some experts worry that more armed fighters could lead to a civil war.

Watch last night’s broadcast of Navai’s clandestine journey into the heart of the uprising and our in-depth profile of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Bonus: Watch Navai talk about her journey into Syria on Anderson Cooper 360 and PBS NewsHour.


More Stories

What the O.J. Verdict & Its Aftermath Revealed About Race in America
On the 30th anniversary of a verdict that shook the U.S., revisit a seminal FRONTLINE documentary on the stark truths and lasting impact of the O.J. Simpson trial, now streaming on YouTube for the first time.
October 1, 2025
Exclusive: Iran Won't Allow Nuclear Inspections if Sanctions Are Reimposed, Says Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator
In an exclusive interview with FRONTLINE, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator said the country will end its participation in international weapons inspections if sanctions are reimposed.
September 26, 2025
9/11, More Than 20 Years Later: 20 Essential Documentaries to Watch
These films, selected from more than two decades of extensive FRONTLINE reporting, probe that fateful day and its lasting impacts on America and the world.
September 5, 2025