Syrian troops have freed three journalists who were seized last week by rebels while covering violence in a suburb of Damascus, state-run TV said today.

Two Syrian journalists have been killed in the capital according to reports today from Syrian state news agency Sana and an Arab satellite station.

Syrian forces pounded a suburb of the capital Damascus with mortars and artillery shells today, a day after rebels operating in the town abducted a pro-government TV crew, activists said.

A pro-government Syrian TV station said four of its employees have been kidnapped while on assignment in a suburb of the capital Damascus.