Syria forces kill mother, two children

DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces shot dead a mother and her two children fleeing an army assault on the eastern city of Deir Ezzor on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights cited residents as saying.

"The woman and her two children were trying to flee the Huweika district for somewhere safer when they were targeted by a security patrol," the rights group quoted residents as saying, adding that the father of the family was wounded.

Activists said security forces on Monday carried out search operations after using heavy machine guns in Deir Ezzor.

"The army opened up with heavy machine guns on Al-Jura district. Security forces then launched a search sweep, terrorising residents," one activist in the city said.

He said a number of people were arrested and added that security agents also burned several motorcycles.

Activists said security forces backed by tanks killed 42 civilians in Deir Ezzor, 430 kilometres (260 miles) northeast of Damascus, on Sunday.

Meanwhile, witnesses and activists reported tanks and armoured personnel carriers entering Maaret al-Numan in the northwestern Idlib province bordering Turkey and carrying out "a large number of arrests."

Overnight, several demonstrations were reported in the central city of Homs after the evening prayers.

"Security forces and regime militias used live ammunition against protesters, wounding at least one person," the Syrian Observatory said.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011