Dozens killed in violence in Syrian city of Homs

Dozens of people were killed in the central city of Homs on Thursday, activists said, in a burst of violence following sectarian killings this week that raised tensions between majority Sunni residents and the minority Alawite sect.

A witness, who declined to be named, said he saw dozens of civilian bodies at the National Hospital, which is under security forces' control. Activists said a further 19 people were killed in tank shelling of the Bab Amro district, a hotbed of pro-democracy protests against President Bashar Assad, and in shooting by security forces elsewhere in Homs. (Reuters)