Islam Times - Five security forces killed in Syria

Islam Times - Five Syrian security forces have reportedly been killed in an attack by an 'armed criminal group' on a security checkpoint in the southwestern governorate of Daraa.

Islam Times reports from Syrian Arab News Agency: The personnel were killed and five others were wounded in a fire exchange in the city of Nawa, an official source said.

Two members of the armed group were also killed and another 15 were wounded, he added.

In a separate incident, a military checkpoint in the city of Izra, also in Daraa, was stormed by unknown gunmen. The attack left two of the guards at the post injured while one of the militants was killed by the return fire of government forces.

On Saturday, funeral processions for the victims of Friday protests turned into pro-reform rallies in several cities.

Unidentified snipers gunned down three mourners and wounded another in Douma, a Damascus suburb.

In Daraa, two others died and several more sustained injuries during an attack on a procession that had departed from the provincial capital.

Since mid-March, Syria has been grappling with deadly protests. The opposition blames security forces for the deaths. However, Syrian authorities blame armed groups and foreign elements for the violence.

Meanwhile, two Syrian lawmakers have resigned to protest the failure of security forces to protect the people. Reports say the mufti of the city of Daraa has also resigned.