Protesters Take Over Syrian City Center

BBC News reports:

Thousands of anti-government protesters have occupied the centre of Syria's third largest city, Homs, insisting they will not leave until they bring down the country's leadership.

A woman told the BBC by phone crowds were still large late on Monday.

A human rights campaigner said security forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had fired shots at the protesters, reports said.

Syria's interior ministry has said the unrest amounts to armed insurrection.

President Assad announced on Saturday that he would end nearly half a century of emergency rule next week - a key demand of the demonstrators.

But Syria's unprecedented wave of protests shows no sign of abating, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Beirut, neighbouring Lebanon.

'Open-ended'

Activists say that checkpoints have been set up around the square to ensure that people coming in are unarmed civilians.

One man, who said his brother was shot dead in Sunday's protests, told how volunteers were providing the demonstrators with food and water.

Another, Najati Tayyara, told AFP news agency: "More than 20,000 people are taking part in the sit-in at Al-Saa Square and we have renamed it Tahrir Square like the one in Cairo.

"It is an open-ended sit-in which will continue until all our demands are satisfied."

A human rights campaigner, who is in contact with the protesters, told Reuters news agency they had been ordered to leave, before the security forces opened fire and used tear gas.

At least one person was injured, according to the activist.

The stand-off followed Monday's mass funeral processions for slain protesters, with mourners calling for an end to Mr Assad's rule.

At least 12 people died in Homs on Sunday after soldiers fired on crowds protesting at the death of a tribal leader in state custody.

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