Violence kills 29 across Syria: Activists
NICOSIA, Jan 30, 2012 (AFP) - At least 21 civilians, six members of the security forces, and two deser ters were killed in violence across Syria on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Near the capital, meanwhile, troops penetrated Rankus, 40 kilometres (25 miles) nor th of Damascus, after shelling the town which had been encircled for the past six days, the Observatory said.
It said at least 17 civilians were killed in Homs in central Syria.
Security forces stormed the flashpoint city, killing a family of six and a young girl, who was hit by gunfire from a checkpoint in the Karm al-zeitun district, according to the Britainbased rights group. Another civilian was killed by gunfire in Karm al-zeitun, and one in the neighbourhood of Al-khalidiyeh, also in Homs.
Four civilians were repor tedly killed in the Qussur district, while another was hit by machinegun fire in Baba Amro and a man was shot dead by sniper fire in the city's Wadi Iran quar ter. A young man was shot dead in town of Qusseir in the Homs province, the Observatory said.
It claimed that unidentified assailants killed a doctor in Shammas, also in Homs, while the state news agency said Dr Mustapha Safar was shot dead by a “terrorist group.”separately, rebel soldiers “attacked a minibus carrying six security officers on their way to make arrests in Hirak, killing all of the passengers,” said the Observatory, in statements received in Nicosia.