At least 27 killed in Syria protests: activists

Killings took place amid nationwide protests called by opposition in defiance of a crackdown

• Image Credit: Reuters
• Syrian soldiers deploy in the Syrian village of Arida, as seen from the northern Lebanese village of Wadi Khaled near the Lebanese-Syrian border, May 20, 2011.

Nicosia: Syrian security forces on Friday shot dead at least 27 people, including a child, during pro-democracy protests, activists said.
The child and 10 others were killed in the central city of Homs while another 10 died in the town of Maaret Al Naaman, located near the western city of Idlib, the activists said.
They said security forces also killed two people in the southern region of Daraa, epicentre of protests that have gripped Syria since March 15, one in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus, another in the port city of Latakia and two in the eastern town of Deir Ezzor.
The killings took place amid nationwide protests called by the opposition in defiance of a brutal crackdown by the regime of President Bashar Al Assad that has left more than 850 people dead, according to the United Nations and rights groups.
Pro-democracy protests erupted in several Syrian cities on Friday after the main weekly Muslim prayers, with demonstrators holding olive branches and calling for more freedom in defiance of a brutal crackdown, witnesses said.
Thousands of Syrians are calling the overthrow of the regime in Southern Damascus suburb of Hajar Al Aswad, a witness said.
In the eastern city of Qamishli a witness said thousands of Syrian Kurds shouted "freedom" in a mass pro-democracy rally.
Thousands are also marching for freedom in the besieged Syrian city of Banias despite the heavy Government security presence, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Pro-democracy protests erupted Friday after the main weekly Muslim prayers, with demonstrators holding olive branches.
In Ain Arab, a mainly Kurdish region near the northern city of Aleppo, hundreds took to the streets chanting "no to violence, yes to dialogue" and "we are not Islamists or Salafists, we want freedom,", said Radif Mustapha, head of a Kurdish human rights group who was reached by telephone.
Azadi, azadi
"No one is calling for the downfall of the regime," he said, as the demonstrators could be overheard shouting "azadi, azadi" or "freedom" in Kurdish.
In the coastal city of Banias, thousands of men, women and children took to the streets, with many of the men bare-chested to show proof they were unarmed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The demonstrators called for freedom and urged the regime to lift its siege on several Syrian cities where protests have taken place in the last two months, the rights group said.
Hassan Berro, an activist, told AFP that protests were also taking place in several towns and villages in the northeast of the country including Qamishli, Amuda and Derbasiyeh.
He and the others said security forces had not intervened to stop the protests so far.
Their accounts could not be independently verified as foreign journalists are prevented from travelling in the country to report on the unprecedented protests.
Friday's demonstrations were taking place amid mounting pressure by the international community for the Syrian government to stop its crackdown on pro-democracy protests.