Syrians protest as army and defectors clash

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Syria on Friday demanding the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, as fighting continued between loyalist forces and insurgents in the center of the country, activists said.

Government troops have been fighting army defectors in the town of Rastan in the first prolonged armed confrontation since protests erupted against Assad six months ago. 

"Rastan is the bastion of free men, despite you, Bashar," proclaimed a sign carried by protesters in the northern province of Idlib.

"Bashar get off our backs, Syria wants freedom," demonstrators shouted in Homs. 

The United Nations says 2,700 people have been killed in Assad's crackdown on mostly peaceful protests, making Syria's uprising one of the bloodiest in the wave of revolts which has toppled three Arab leaders this year.

 Western powers have responded with sanctions on Syria's oil exports, forcing Assad's government to curb imports to protect its foreign reserves and adding to economic pressures after the collapse of the tourism industry and a slump in trade.

U.N.-backed rights commission urged Syria to let it into the country to investigate reports of killings and torture, including of children, during six months of protests against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

 "We have received many scary reports about the situation of children during the conflict," Paulo Pinheiro, a Brazilian human rights expert heading the commission of inquiry, told a news conference on Friday. 

"At this very moment we are trying to have access from the Syrian government," he said. Pinheiro did not refer to any specific cases, but a YouTube video of the bloodied corpse of a 13-year-old boy sparked international outrage earlier this year.  

 -Reuters