Assad forces kill 3 families in Syria's Homs

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad shot dead on Wednesday at least 20 civilians when they stormed the homes of three unarmed families on the edges of opposition districts in the city of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.    

"The shabbiha (Assad's militiamen) broke into three houses overnight and slaughtered a family of five - the father, wife and their three children, a family of seven in another house and a eight in a third," dissident in exile Rami Abdelrahman, who heads the British-based Observatory, told Reuters.    

There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities and the report could not be verified because the authorities have placed tight restrictions on access to the country.

On the other hand, one of the members of the Arab observers’ mission revealed that the Arab League informed the mission on Tuesday that its duties are over and it will leave Damascus to return to their countries.

The member told Syrian daily Al Watan that no official explanation was given to the 65 members taking part in the mission.

Reuters/ LBCI