Eleven people were killed as Syrian pro-government forces stormed the western cities of Rastan and Talbiseh at the weekend, Al Arabiya reported on Monday.
"Soldiers are now all over Talbiseh. They are breaking into houses and arresting people," Al Arabiya cited a witness in Talbiseh as saying.
Another witness in Rastan told Al Arabiya that the town's main clinic was packed with wounded people.
According to the Syrian official state news agency, SANA, four members of the security forces were also killed in Talbiseh "while perusing armed terrorist groups."
Syrian authorities claim the protests are being organized by Islamic extremists seeking to seize power in the country.
Unrest in Syria began after a group of schoolchildren were arrested in March for writing anti-government slogans on walls. Protests against their arrest soon swept across the country and continue despite urgent political reforms and crackdown on demonstrators.
MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti)
