Syrian forces make mass arrests

SYRIAN security forces have made sweeping arrests, randomly detaining males above the age of 16 in a north-western province.

Human rights activist Mustafa Osso said around 300 arrests are being made daily in the Jisr al-Shughour area, the town of Maaret al-Numan and nearby villages, where the army has been massing troops for days.

He claimed troops opened fire in the outskirts of Maaret al-Numan, a town of 100,000 on the road linking Damascus with Syria’s second-largest city, Aleppo. No casualties were reported.