At least 21 people have been killed on Sunday as Syrian gunboats firing heavy machine guns pounded the northwest port city of Latakia, world media reported.
The shelling came amid reports from opposition groups that security forces had opened fire in residential neighborhoods in the city. The crackdown in Latakia is the latest in a series of military actions to target protesters calling for the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
Most of the casualties, including tens of wounded, were from big caliber machineguns fired from tanks on southern quarters of the city, which were also hit by Navy vessels, Reuters said.
A separate raid took place Saturday in the Qusair region, near the Lebanese border, where activists say at least one person was killed.
The unrest comes after security forces are reported on Friday to have killed at least 19 people across the country. Activists and witnesses say most of the deaths occurred after demonstrators took to the streets and renewed calls for president Assad's resignation.
