• 24 killed in Deraa after thousands take to streets
• UN approves inquiry into government violence
• UN approves inquiry into government violence
Thousands of Syrians defied their government's bloody attempts to suppress protests, braving gunfire from security forces to demonstrate in Damascus and across the country.
Initial reports said at least 24 people had been shot dead, most of them in the opposition stronghold of Deraa, where villagers tried to break through the security cordon to relieve its besieged population.
Further deaths were reported in Latakia and Homs after the security forces opened fire on demonstrators. There was news of protests in 50 towns and villages including Hama, Aleppo, the coastal cities of Latakia and Banias, Deir Ezzor in the east, and Qamishli in the north-east. Unrest was also reported from the Syria-Jordan border, which is straddled by the Haurani tribes.
Despite the government crackdown, the demonstrations – many starting as Friday worshippers left mosques – appeared to be at least as big as last week. Even more significantly, activists said, the protests spread closer into the centre of Damascus.
Demonstrators in the neighbourhoods of Barzeh, Midan, Bab Srejeh and Hajr al-Aswad faced security forces backed up by soldiers for the first time. Two witnesses in Midan told the Guardian that a crowd of 4,000 protesters who came out of Zain al-Abideen and Hassan mosques were dispersed by tear gas and security forces with batons. "I counted 17 buses of security," said one who asked not to be named.
Another said tear gas and sound bombs were used and the street to the main hospital was closed. He said shabiha [gangs connected to the ruling family] were terrorising the neighbourhood well after the demonstration was dispersed.
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