Syrian forces kill 11 people near Damascus

NICOSIA: Syrian security forces shot dead at least 11 people in a swoop on the town of Kanaker near Damascus early Wednesday, a human rights activist said.

"The security forces raided homes at dawn on Wednesday and during the operation 11 people were shot dead and more than 250 arrested," said Ammar Qurabi, head of the National Organisation for Human Rights, reached by telephone from Nicosia.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011