Lawyer: Syrian forces kill 41 civilians in Rastan

Syrian forces killed 41 civilians in the central town of Rastan on Tuesday during a military operation to crush pro-democracy protests, Razan Zaitouna, a human rights lawyer, said on Wednesday.

The death toll included a 4-year-old girl, Zaitouna told Reuters by telephone from Damascus. Government forces surrounded the town on Sunday and shelled it during the operation, she said, adding that activists on the ground had a list consisting of 41 dead civilians. (Reuters)