Syria: 'At least 44' killed in clashes

Damascus, 27 Jan. (AKI) - At least 44 people died in Syria Friday during clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters, the al-Arabiya satellite news channel reported, citing opposition activists.

The centre of the violence was the city of Homs where dozens of people were killed during mortar fire and attacks by government forces, the the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, according to al-Arabiya. Children were among the dead., according to the report.

More than 5,000 people have died, mostly at the hands of government forces, according to the a 12 December United Nations report. The government dismisses that it is responsible for the killing, laying the blame on "terrorists" and unrest incited by other countries.

Access by international journalists and human rights groups is tightly controlled by the Syrian government, making confirmation of reports difficult.