Eight killed in Syrian clashes

At least eight people have died in clashes in a border town that is the latest place targeted by the Syrian regime’s crackdown, a leading activist has said.

The human rights activist said eight people were killed in Talkalakh yesterday, raising the number of those killed in the town since Saturday to at least 34.

He said 19 Syrian soldiers have also died there.

The anonymous activist said the army shelled the town with tanks overnight and early today. There were heavy exchanges of fire between security forces and armed civilians.

Talkalakh is near the border with Lebanon and is known to be a smuggling area where many residents are armed.

More than 850 Syrians have died since the uprising began in mid-March.