Six people dead in clashes in Syria

A banner with an image depicting the ousted Syrian president Bashar Assad is placed on the fire as a Syrian member of the rebel forces destroys drugs and alcoholic beverages, found at a complex building, in Damascus, Syria (Omar Sanadiki/AP)

Clashes between Islamists who took over Syria and supporters of ousted president Bashar Assad’s government killed six Islamic fighters on Wednesday and wounded others, according to a British-based war monitor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighters were killed while trying to arrest a former official in Mr Assad’s government, accused of issuing execution orders and arbitrary rulings against thousands of prisoners.