Nicosia: Syrian forces fired nail bombs to disperse tens of thousands of protesters Friday in the Damascus suburb of Douma and demonstrators retaliated with stones, activists said.
At least 24 were hurt, and at least five protesters were killed in the southern city of Daraa on Friday, the British Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
"So far, at least five civilians were martyred when security forces opened fire on protesters in the city of Daraa," the Observatory said.
"An activist in the city told the Observatory that he was hurt by shrapnel from those bombs," the watchdog added in a statement received by AFP in Nicosia.
The reported use of nail bombs could not be independently verified.
The Observatory said that demonstrators hurled stones at the security forces in the vicinity of city hall after they fired stun grenades and tear gas at them.
Confrontations
According to the Observatory, more than 60,000 Syrians flooded the streets of Douma and were heading to the city hall building when the confrontations broke out.
"Between 60,000 and 70,000 demonstrators are heading to city hall," it said, adding that this was "the biggest ever demonstration" to take place in the restive suburb north of Damascus since March.
Russia: Arab League assessments 'reassuring'
Russia's Foreign Ministry said an initial assessment by Arab League observers in Syria was "reassuring," even as activists reported that Syrian security forces fired on demonstrators after Friday prayers and that an ambush by government troops killed four people.
Moscow is one of Syria's few remaining allies following more than nine months of violence stemming from a massive protest movement.
The United Nations says some 5,000 people have been killed in the government crackdown on dissent.
"Moscow appraises with satisfaction the real beginning of the Arab League activities in Syria," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry noted that the Sudanese general who heads the mission visited the restive city of Homs.
"The situation there is reassuring, clashes have not been recorded," the statement said.
