AFP, Nicosia, 7 Oct 2011- Seven Syrians were shot dead on Friday as thousands rallied against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and in support of a newly formed opposition front, activists said.
Four people were killed in the neighbourhood of Sabaa, in the central city of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, revising its toll upward.
Two elderly men were among those killed in Homs, where security forces opened fire against thousands of protesters streaming out of several mosques after traditional Friday prayers, wounding at least 25 people, the Observatory added.
Three others died from gunshot wounds in the protest hub of Douma, near Damascus, where snipers shot at civilians, the Observatory said.
The violence came as Syria’s deputy foreign minister said more than 1,100 people have been killed by terrorists in the revolt that has shaken the country since March,
Syria is grappling with terrorist threats, deputy foreign minister Faysal Mekdad said in a speech to the 47-state UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as it reviewed the situation in Syria.
Fridays are the lightning rod for protests against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad but rallies this week also made a show of support for the Syrian National Council, formed in Istanbul last week.
Thousands of people across Syria chanted support for the new opposition front, which represents the main currents standing against the Assad regime, despite the large presence of security forces in protest centres and mosques.
Pro-democracy activists had called for fresh demonstrations under the banner: The Syrian National Council is our representative, mine, yours and that of all Syrians.