At Least 20 Civilians Dead in Syria

At least 20 civilians were killed in Syria after security forces fired on pro-democracy protests in cities across the country. Friday marked the 17th consecutive Friday that protesters have taken to the streets to demonstrate against President Bashar al-Assad. “The security forces are continuing violent repression against peaceful demonstrations demanding freedom and the downfall of the regime, firing live ammunition at most protests all over Syria on Friday,” said Syrian human-rights organization Sawasiah in a statement. According to a new report, Syrian security forces have killed 1,634 people, and at least 2,918 people have disappeared in the four months since the violent crackdowns began.