'No one responds to our screams': refugee at Syrian peace rally in Regina

Three groups in Regina held a rally by the Peace Fountain outsidecity hall Saturday andcalled for peace in war-torn Syria.

Making Peace Vigil, PeaceQuest Regina and the Regina Peace Council also called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to distance Canada from what they termed "U.S. war-making policies" referring to the recent missile strike on a Syrian base sanctioned by President Donald Trump and asked Trudeau to help broker a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict.

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Mohammed Almahasneh, a Syrian refugee who moved to Canada just over a year ago, said he was invited to attend the rally by a Canadian woman.

He was one of about 50 people who did so.

"We Syrians are humans, like you and everyone else," he said. "And humanity is fleeing in and out of Syria as we see in videos and Youtube. Tons of people are killed every single day form airstrikes form Iran and Russia.

"It's so important to get our voices heard in the west. I would like to tell [Trudeau]we are killed silently in front of the eyes of all the world and no one responds to our screams," Almahasneh said.

"So for the kids and the women, please stop the war in Syria."

Ed Lehman is involved in the peace groups and helped organize the rally.

"We encourage Canada and the United States and all of the parties to this conflict to sit down and negotiate," he said. "Rather that [than] for the U.S. and Canada to continue on an agenda of regime change."