Syria has responded to weeks of unrest that have killed more than 200 people by scrapping emergency laws in place since 1963.
At the same time, the regime of President Bashir al-Assad vowed to show no weakness in its resolve to stay in power, threatening a hard line against demonstrators and killing at least three in breaking up a sit-in in the northern city of Homs.
Security forces moved in before dawn on Tuesday after funerals for protesters killed in demonstrations on Sunday turned into an overnight rally, with protesters pledging to stay until President Assad stood down.
The attack on the demonstration, which was reported to be peaceful, came amid conflicting signals from the authorities.
On Monday night, the authorities issued a hardline statement condemning opposition to the regime as an “armed mutiny” by Salafists - adherents of strict, Saudi-style Sunni Islam - who had killed policemen, soldiers and civilians.
They said they would “pursue the terrorists wherever they are in order to bring them to justice”. (read more)
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