Protests have been staged in towns and cities across Syria, including the capital Damascus, a day after the government announced limited changes.

Protests have been staged in towns and cities across Syria, including the capital Damascus, a day after the government announced limited changes.

Unconfirmed reports said a number of people had been killed in at least three separate protests.

Fresh gunfire was also heard in the city of Deraa, which has become the centre of a serious challenge to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Amnesty International fears 55 people have died there in the past week.

The marchers who took to the streets in Deraa on Friday had attended funerals for some of the 25 protesters killed on Wednesday.


Some of the protesters started a fire under a bronze statue of Mr Assad's father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, witnesses reported.

Another group of protesters trying to reach Deraa were killed in the nearby village of Salamen when security forces opened fire.

A government official confirmed that at least 10 protesters had died, although witnesses said up to 20 people had been killed.

In Damascus, around 1,000 were reportedly continuing a protest into Friday night, vowing to stay until their demands had been met.

Earlier, hundreds marched on King Faisal Street chanting: "Peaceful, Peaceful, God, Syria, Freedom."