Syrian government forces have launched a counter-attack to recapture a gas field seized by Islamic extremists, activists said, as the death toll from three days of fighting there rose to more than 200.

Syrian security forces killed seven people as they opened fire to disperse thousands of protesters rallying against the country's regime on the first day of a Muslim holiday that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, activists said.

SYRIAN forces shot dead 20 protesters despite a pledge by President Bashar al-Assad that a crackdown was over, activists said as thousands marched across Syria, spurred on by US and European calls for him to step down.

Syrian security forces have fired on thousands of protesters who poured into the streets throughout the country killing at least 10 people, activists say.

Thousands have taken to the streets in funeral marches for protesters killed by police gunfire in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, witnesses say.