Syrian forces seal off Banias, sectarian tension mounts

Syrian security forces sealed off the coastal city of Banias overnight following sectarian killings by irregulars loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad, witnesses said on Monday.

Violence in Banias, home to one of Syria's two oil refineries, erupted on Sunday when irregulars from the ruling Alawite minority, known as "shabbiha", fired at residents with automatic rifles from speeding cars, following pro-democracy protests in the mostly Sunni Mediterranean city. (Reuters)