11 die in clashes between Syria forces, deserters

Clashes between Syrian security forces and deserters killed at least 11 people in a village in Hama province Friday, while 250 tanks and armoured vehicles entered a town to the south, activists said. "Five civilians and six military and security agents have been killed today in the village of Kafar Zita during clashes between soldiers and agents on one side and deserters on the other," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The tanks and armoured vehicles entered the flashpoint town of Rastan where there has been fighting between government forces and deserters for four days, the Britain-based Observatory said. Thousands of Syrians were demonstrating on Friday, the Muslim weekly day of prayer that is a lightning rod in the six months of anti-regime protests in which the United Nations says 2,700 people have been killed by a fierce crackdown. A young demonstrator was killed in the city of Homs during one of the marches, which are being held under the slogan "victory for our Syria and our Yemen." There were calls for the downfall of the regime and solidarity with the people of Rastan.