THE FUNERALS OF around nine Syrian protesters killed by security forces drew 20,000 Syrians marching and chanting freedom slogans yesterday.

Witnesses reported the people chanting “The blood of martyrs is not spilt in waste!” while in Daraa’s southern cemetery, Al Jazeera reports.

Syrian police launched an assault on a neighbourhood sheltering anti-government protesters yesterday, killing at least 15 people.

A hospital in Daraa said that it had received the bodies of at least 25 protesters who died in confrontations with security forces.

Human rights groups called on Syrian government to end its use of force.

On State-owned TV, a report said that people were shot after an armed gang attacked an ambulance crew near the al-Omari mosque on Tuesday night, killing a nurse, a doctor and the driver. The station showed money and ammunition that it said had been found stored inside the mosque.

Al Jazeera said violence broke out in Daraa when residents from other towns clashed with security forces as they tried to enter to help residents there.

Journalists are not being allowed to visit the city, and checkpoints have been set up by security forces at all entry points.

A number of Syrian towns and cities saw demonstrations in recent days despite the country’s 1963 emergency law which bans protests.

The United Nations, France and the United States condemned the violence.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy demonstrators in Syria have called for mass protests across the country on Friday, which they have termed “Dignity Friday”.

Read more on the Al Jazeera website>