12 Killed In Syria Clashes

The Associated Press reports:

Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded cities around Syria on Friday in one of the largest outpourings against the regime of President Bashar Assad since the uprisings began more than three months ago. At least 12 people were killed in various clashes, activists said.

The demonstrations underscored the resilience of the protesters despite Assad's relentless crackdowns. Syrian rights groups say more than 1,400 people have been killed, most of them unarmed protesters, since mid-March.

The regime disputes the toll, blaming "armed thugs" and foreign conspirators for the unrest that has posed the most serious challenge to the Assad family's 40-year ruling dynasty in Syria.