Six killed as Syrian army raids Banias

NICOSIA: Six people were killed Saturday as Syrian army troops raided the northern port of Banias, including four women protesters demanding the release of people who had been arrested, activists said.

"150 residents of Banias had gathered on the highway between Banias and Latakia to ask for the release of those arrested in Marqab, where the women were from," an activist told AFP in Nicosia.

"Members of the security forces asked them to leave and, when they refused to do so, they opened fire killing three of them and wounding five others who were hospitalised," he added.

A fourth woman was also killed by the security forces, the activist said later.

Another two people were killed and several others wounded in Banias, where the army has been carrying out a military operation since dawn, a spokesman for the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP by phone.

"There are two killed and several wounded by intense gunfire but we don't know who fired," the spokesman said.

The military confirmed it conducted an operation in Banias.

"Army units and security forces today pursued members of terrorist groups in and around Banias and neighbourhoods of (the southern flashpoint town of) Daraa to restore security and stability," said the military official.

"They arrested people and seized a quantity of weapons that these groups have used to attack the army and citizens and scare people." (AFP)