Syrian forces shot dead 13 protesters Friday, activists told Reuters.
According to the report, tens of thousands protested in the streets, demanding the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
The protests were held in the cities of Hama and Deir al-Zor, both of which have been stormed recently by Syrian military forces.
Activists with the Local Coordination Committees told Reuters six people were killed in the Damascus suburbs of Saqba and Douma, two in the commercial hub of Aleppo, and two in the northern province of Idlib on the Turkish border.
Local residents added two people were also killed in Hama, from where the army reportedly pulled out a few days ago after completing a week-long assault.
Rallies were also reportedly held in the coastal cities of Latakia and Baniyas, as well as across the southern province of Deraa.
One eyewitness in Deir al-Zor told Reuters that forces fired live ammunition at protesters coming out of a main mosque, adding: “The whole neighborhood is echoing with the sound of bullets. Worshippers are running to take cover in alleyways.”
Another resident said, “Assad wants to finish off the uprising before international pressure becomes too much for him. But people have gone out of almost every major mosque in Deir al-Zor, meters away from tanks that occupy every main square and roundabout.”
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the United States wants other nations to add their voices to the call for Assad to step down.
“It’s important that it’s not just the American voice,” Clinton told CBS. “And we want to make sure those voices are coming from around the world.”
Her comments came after the U.S. expanded its sanctions against Syria on Wednesday.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk continues to keep you informed until the beginning of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)