Syrian troops kill 30 in clashes

REUTERS

At least 30 people have been killed Saturday by regime troops across Syria who shelled rebel bastions and clashed with opposition fighters in several parts of the country, a watchdog said.

In the central province of Homs, nine civilians were killed by gunfire and shelling by troops, including two in the rebel stronghold of Qusayr and six in Homs city, where troops have bombarded several neighbourhoods in an attempt to regain control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Also in central Syria, two civilians were killed in the city of Hama in a dawn ambush by regime forces, and a third was killed when clashes broke out between troops and rebels elsewhere in Hama province.

In the town of Mahaja in the southern province of Daraa, the cradle of the revolt against the President Bashar al-Assad's rule, shooting broke out as troops used tanks to storm the area.

Elsewhere in Daraa, one civilian was shot dead in a raid by regime troops, while in northern Aleppo province, four people, including two rebel fighters, were killed.

In northwest province of Idlib, two people were killed in shelling by regime forces on the town of Maaret al-Numan.

Four civilians were killed in Douma by regime forces, including a man shot dead by sniper fire.

The Damascus suburb was labeled a “disaster area” by local activists, who posted videos showing deserted streets littered with debris from shelled buildings.

“Residents evacuated their homes due to the heavy shelling on peaceful residences,” said the narrator in a video posted on YouTube.

Three civilians, including a child, were killed by sniper fire in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, the Observatory said, adding that fierce clashes erupted between troops and rebels in the city.

Four civilians died elsewhere in the province, including a child killed by a shell which landed on her house in the town of Al-Quria, the site of anti-regime demonstrations the day before.

The latest violence comes a day after a least 116 people, including 69 civilians, 31 members of pro-regime forces, and six rebels, died across Syria on Friday. -Sapa-AFP