BEIRUT: At least 30 people were killed at the weekend in clashes between residents in Homs, a human rights group said, the first reported factional fighting since protests against President Bashar al-Assad erupted in March.
Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Monday clashes between pro- and anti-Assad residents started on Saturday afternoon after the bodies of three government supporters, kidnapped last week, were returned to their relatives dismembered.
”At least 30 civilians were killed … they fell after civil fighting between pro and anti-regime (residents) started on Saturday,” the Observatory said in statement.
Homs, Syria’s third largest city, has been a focal point of the Syrian uprising since the military stormed the central city two months ago to try to crush street protests calling for Assad to step down after 11 years in power. (Reuters)
