Syrian activists: Shooting near Lebanon border

In this photo taken during a government-organized tour for the media, relatives of Sari Saoud a 9-year-old boy who was shot dead in Homs three days ago while he was buying cookies from a shop, shout pro-Syrian regime and unity slogans, in the village of Kfarbo in Hama province, Syria, on Thursday Dec. 1, 2011. Georgina the mother of Sari blamed "armed terrorists" for killing her son. Syria's opposition called a general strike Thursday over President Bashar Assad's deadly crackdown on an 8-month-old revolt, ramping up efforts to persuade the country's business elite to abandon their long-standing ties to the regime. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)

In this photo taken during a government-organized tour for the media, relatives of Sari Saoud a 9-year-old boy who was shot dead in Homs three days ago while he was buying cookies from a shop, shout pro-Syrian regime and unity slogans, in the village of Kfarbo in Hama province, Syria, on Thursday Dec. 1, 2011. Georgina the mother of Sari blamed "armed terrorists" for killing her son. Syria's opposition called a general strike Thursday over President Bashar Assad's deadly crackdown on an 8-month-old revolt, ramping up efforts to persuade the country's business elite to abandon their long-standing ties to the regime. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)

In this photo taken during a government-organized tour for the media, Georgina Mtanious al-Jammal, the mother of Sari Saoud a 9-year-old boy who was shot dead in Homs three days ago while he was buying cookies from a shop, holds her son's portarit as she mourns at her house, in the village of Kfarbo in Hama province, Syria, on Thursday Dec. 1, 2011. Georgina blamed "armed terrorists" for killing her son. Syria's opposition called a general strike Thursday over President Bashar Assad's deadly crackdown on an 8-month-old revolt, ramping up efforts to persuade the country's business elite to abandon their long-standing ties to the regime. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)

In this photo taken during a government-organized tour for the media, Georgina Mtanious al-Jammal, the mother of Sari Saoud a 9-year-old boy who was shot dead in Homs three days ago while he was buying cookies from a shop, holds her son's portarit as she mourns at her house, in the village of Kfarbo in Hama province, Syria, on Thursday Dec. 1, 2011. Georgina blamed "armed terrorists" for killing her son. Syria's opposition called a general strike Thursday over President Bashar Assad's deadly crackdown on an 8-month-old revolt, ramping up efforts to persuade the country's business elite to abandon their long-standing ties to the regime. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Activists have reported heavy shooting in the western Syrian town of Talkalakh, near the border with Lebanon.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited witnesses as saying shooting erupted early on Friday and that dozens have been wounded.

There also were reports of anti-government protests in Idlib province, near Turkey. The reports could not be independently confirmed.

Syria is trying to crush an 8-month-old revolt challenging President Bashar Assad's autocratic rule.

On Thursday, the U.N.'s top human rights official said Syria has entered a state of civil war with more than 4,000 people dead since mid-March and an increasing number of soldiers defecting from the army to fight Assad's regime.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-02-ML-Syria/id-43b7683e796d4ea2be994cb550fff793

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