Syrian Forces Kill 9 in Homs, Hama, Damascus Suburb
Syrian regime forces and militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed nine civilians across the country on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Among the dead were six civilians killed in the flashpoint central province of Homs, one in Hama and two cut down by powerful machineguns in Rankuss near Damascus, said the London-based Observatory.
The U.N. estimates that more than 3,500 people have been killed in the violence that has shaken Syria since mid-March.
The armed and political wings of the Syrian opposition also took a step Monday toward increasing their cooperation.
A delegation from the opposition Syrian National Council headed by its leader Burhan Ghalioun met with the Turkey-based leader of the rebel Free Syrian Army, a group of army defectors who have recently been fighting back Assad's forces.
The SNC said the two sides agreed to form a joint committee tasked with coordinating movements on the ground.
The Syrian opposition has struggled to overcome infighting and disagreements over the country's future in order to present a unified, credible alternative to Assad. If the groups coalesce, they could persuade more Syrians to abandon the regime.
Source: Agence France Presse
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