BEIRUT: Tens of thousands of Syrians heeded calls by the opposition to take advantage of a hard-won UN-backed ceasefire to rally against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, although security forces killed five civilians.
"The numbers this time are higher than previous weeks," said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Security forces opened fire at a group of men as they joined a demonstration in Assi square, in the city of Hama, killing one, the Observatory said.
Another demonstrator was shot dead also in Hama, the Britain-based watchdog said.
In Daraa, the southern province that was the cradle of dissent against the regime of Bashar al-Assad 13 month ago, a protester was shot dead in the village of Nawa, as he walked out of a mosque to join a rally, the Observatory said.
Forces loyal to Assad also shot dead a man in the town of Salqin, in the northwestern province of Idlib, the centre added.
In the Damascus suburb of Daraya, a passer-by was shot dead when security forces opened fire at a demonstration, it added.
Abdel Rahman said tens of thousands demonstrated in several provinces, a day after a UN-backed ceasefire entered into force.
Thousands chanted "the people want the fall of the regime" as they rallied in the Damascus suburb of Douma, brandishing the old independence flag, video footage posted by activists on the Internet shoowed.
Protesters also held a rally in the Qadam district of Damascus, while other protest broke out in the town of Irbin, outside the capital, and the suburb of Zabadani, according to videos posted by activists on the Internet.
Thousands also demonstrated in the town of Latamne, in Hama province, and in the Arbaeen district of the city itself, footage showed.
Demonstrations were also held in the second-largest city of Aleppo.
"We will see those promises from Assad to cease fire," said a banner carried in a demonstration in the Masakin Hanano neighbourhood. In another, protesters chanted: "The Syrian army is a traitor."
In the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, hundreds demonstrated in the Matar al-Qadeem neighbourhood, footage showed.
State television, however, aired footage from various areas showing worshippers leaving mosques peacefully after the noon prayer, which is usually a high point for protests on Fridays.
Late Thursday, demonstrations broke out in several areas.
Protesters in Deir Ezzor chanted "Freedom forever, against your wishes Assad," according to the Local Coordination Committees activist group, which described the rally as the "largest in months."
Protests also took place in Aleppo, as well as Zabadani and Douma in Damascus province, and Daraa, cradle of the 13-month-old uprising in the south.
Activists put out a call for the protests on Thursday, urging Syrians from all religions and political movements and those who are "hesitant" to take to the streets.
"Today, no one is excused, because it is a day for all Syrians," said a posting on the Facebook page of The Syrian Revolution 2011 activist group, an engine of the uprising.
"Rise up if you want an end to the killing. Rise up if you want an end to destruction of the cities. Rise up if you want an end to the (rule of the) Assad family," it said.
"The squares are waiting for you, heroes of Al-Fayhaa," said a banner on the Facebook page, using another name of Damascus.
The umbrella opposition Syrian National Council urged people to take advantage of the ceasefire brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, which entered into force Thursday, to demonstrate against the Assad regime.
"We call on the people to demonstrate and express themselves... The right to demonstrate is a principal point of the plan" of Annan, SNC chief Burhan Ghalioun told AFP.
Ghalioun also urged the international community to deploy observers to monitor the peace agreement, which stipulates the right to demonstrate.
The Syrian conflict has cost the lives of more than 10,000 people, according to monitors.
The interior ministry said Thursday that people wishing to demonstrate should request a permit, saying that the right to stage protests is now guaranteed by the new constitution which was approved in a referendum in February.
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