Syria government has said 12 people were killed in violence in the port city of Latakia, which has been rocked by protests and unrest, yesterday.
The country's state-run news agency said unknown armed gangs had attacked neighbourhoods, firing guns from rooftops.
Anti-government protesters, meanwhile, accused government forces – which were deployed in Latakia yesterday – of opening fire on them.
Activists said some demonstrators burned tyres, attacked businesses and set fire to an office of the ruling Ba'ath party.
Dozens of people have been killed in a number of Syrian cities after protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime flared up more than a week ago.
Ten people, including members of the security forces, residents and two members of "armed elements" died in the Latakia violence, the state-run news agency said, adding that at least two people were killed by rooftop snipers. Around 200 others, mostly members of the security forces, were reported to have been injured.
