Syrian forces fire on anti-Assad crowd in Damascus, 1 killed

Anti-government protesters attend the funerals of protesters killed during clashes with government troops in earlier protests against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus February 18, 2012. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Damascus on Saturday for the funeral of three youths killed in one of the largest protests against President Bashar al-Assad since the start of an 11-month uprising, witnesses said. (Reuters Pictures)

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian security forces fired on a huge protest against President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Saturday, soon after a Chinese envoy had appealed for a halt to 11 months of violence, opposition activists said.

The shooting took place at the funerals of three youths killed on Friday in an anti-Assad protest that was one of the biggest in the capital since a nationwide uprising started.

"They started firing at the crowd right after the burial," said a witness, speaking to Reuters in Amman by telephone.

People tried to flee and seek shelter in alleyways, he said.

The opposition Syrian Revolution Coordination Union said the gunfire near the cemetery had killed one mourner and wounded four, including a woman who was hit in the head. A shopkeeper told Reuters many protesters were arrested. [...]

In other strife across the country, government forces bombarded the opposition stronghold of Homs on Saturday.

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