Three killed as rival demonstrators clash in Syrian cities

Two people were killed in the central city of Homs and one in the eastern city of Deir el Zour. The two sides have clashed in the past but yesterday’s violence appeared to be the worst. Mr Assad mobilised tens of thousands of people to wave flags and pictures of him in several major cities, a day after he offered a vague plan for political reform in a speech that was rejected by opposition supporters.

An eyewitness in Homs said a pro-Assad protest with 10,000 people “descended” on the city. “Nobody knows them, they are strangers to the city, they were asking for directions,” he said.

Anti-government demonstrators then emerged, gunfire broke out, and two people were killed and six wounded, he said.

The largest gathering appeared to be in Damascus, but Syrian state TV showed similar demonstrations in the cities of Aleppo, Latakia, Hasaka and Daraa.