36 die in Syria 'Day of Defiance'

DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces shot dead at least 26 protesters on Friday as thousands rallied on a Day of Defiance" against the Syrian regime, a rights group said, and authorities accused "terrorists" of killing 10 soldiers and policemen.

The violence came as the European Union agreed to impose sanctions on 13 Syrian officials involved in the regime's brutal crackdown on protests and will meet Monday to discuss whether to target Syrian President Bashar Assad as well, diplomats said.

The Syrian rights group, Insan, put the day's toll at 26 killed but said it expected this to rise. "Death toll for today is 26," Insan said in a statement. The toll included 16 protesters killed in the central city of Homs, six in Hama north of Damascus and two in Jableh on the Mediterranean.

"We have a list of 27 more names. We are verifying at the moment," the brief statement said.

Rights activist Najati Tayara, speaking from Homs, said security forces opened fire to disperse protests after Jumma prayers in the central city, killing eight people and wounding several, some seriously.

Tanks entered the industrial city earlier and also rolled into other protest centres across Syria. "Dozens of people were arrested in several districts of the city during the night between Thursday and Friday," Tayara said.

Using loudspeakers, security forces ordered protesters to voluntarily go to police stations "to avoid being arrested and punished" and ordered businesses to close and residents to stay indoors, activists said.

The military meanwhile announced that 10 soldiers and policemen were killed in Homs by "armed terrorist groups", and said the bodies of some of them were mutilated by the assailants.(AFP)