Six killed in firing on protesters in Syria

Damascus -  At least six people were killed Friday in Syria as thousands of anti-government protesters took to streets in cities demanding freedom and reforms, Xinhua reported.

Armed groups shot indiscriminately at the demonstrators, killing at least six people, including an officer, the state TV reported.

 The "saboteurs" cut off a road and set tyres on fire in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, said the TV, adding that another armed group opened fire at the demonstrations in the central province of Homs, killing one people and wounding dozens others.

According to an Al-Jazeera TV report, activists reporting that at least 13 people were killed nationwide after Muslims' noon prayers in several towns and cities across Syria, for freedom and the downfall of the leadership.

The unrest in Syria aroused international condemnation for the alleged crackdown on protesters by the Syrian security forces.

On Thursday, the European Union announced a third round of sanctions targeting the Syrian leadership. The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Damascus to pull its troops back from the Turkish border.

Syria has been gripped by over three months of anti- government protests, during which the protesters' have been seeking reforms and removal of country's president Bashar al-Assad's leadership who has ruled the country for about four decades.