Seven killed as Syrians rally behind new opposition front

DAMASCUS: Seven Syrians were shot dead on Friday as thousands of people rallied against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and in support of a newly formed opposition front, activists said.

The fresh surge of violence came as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Assad will have to give up power if he fails to implement reforms acceptable to the opposition, and the Syrian regime again blamed "terrorists" for the unrest.

"Four people were killed in the neighbourhood of Sabaa" in the central city of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Two elderly men were among the dead in Homs, where security forces opened fire at thousands of protesters streaming out of mosques after traditional Friday prayers, wounding at least 25 people, the Britain-based Observatory added.