AMMAN - Syrian forces shot dead 10 protesters on Friday, activists said, as tens of thousands demanded the fall of President Bashar Assad, chanting "we will kneel only to God" despite a military crackdown that has triggered sanctions and condemnation abroad.
Defiant protest marches unfolded across the country including the cities of Hama and Deir al-Zor, both of which have been stormed in tank offensives launched by Assad during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The Local Coordination Committees activists' group said deaths included two protesters killed in the commercial hub of Aleppo, three in suburbs of the capital Damascus and two in the northern province of Idlib on the Turkish border.
Residents said two people were also killed in Hama, just days after the army completed a week-long assault on the city which became a symbol of defiance to Assad's rule after huge crowds gathered weekly to demand his overthrow.
