Source BBC News
On Monday, thousands of people attended a funeral for those killed in Homs At least eight people have been killed in clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters in the Syrian city of Homs, activists say.
The overnight confrontations were triggered by the announcement of the death in custody of a tribal leader.
The violence comes a day after at least three people were shot dead by security forces in Talbiseh, north of Homs.
On Saturday, President Bashar al-Assad said he expected Syria's 48-year-old emergency law to be lifted this week.
Correspondents say the reaction suggests some people are not yet satisfied with the extent of the concessions made by the government.
The official news agency has said that in most areas, normal life and calm is prevailing, reflecting citizens' satisfaction with the reforms. When it has reported on violent incidents, it has blamed armed criminal gangs.
'Homs is boiling' But witnesses say anti-government protests have intensified in the central city of Homs, 165km (100 miles) north of Damascus, since Saturday, when the authorities handed over the body of a tribal leader. Sheikh Badr Abu Moussa died in custody a week after being arrested.
"He was a healthy man before they took him and a corpse afterwards," an activist told the Reuters news agency. "The security forces have been dealing brutally with the protesters, but this is too much to take."
"Homs is boiling. Security forces and the regime thugs have been provoking armed tribes for a month now," he added.Members of Abu Moussa's Fawara tribe, along with members from the Bani Khaled tribe and local residents, took to the streets across Homs on Sunday night to protest against his death and the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. They were "shot at in cold blood", the activist said.
"The possibility that some protesters were armed cannot be ruled out. The tribes feel insulted and they want revenge. But the security forces were seen driving in trucks and shooting at civilians," he added.
Witnesses told the AFP news agency that security forces had fired live rounds to disperse a demonstration in the Bab Sbaa district.
On Monday, thousands of people attended a funeral for those killed overnight, a witness told the Reuters news agency.
"From alleyway to alleyway, from house to house, we want to overthrow you, Bashar," the mourners chanted, according to the witness.
At least 200 protesters have been killed in the past four weeks, human rights groups say, as security forces try to quell the most serious challenge to Mr Assad's rule since he succeeded his father 11 years ago.
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