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Death toll hits 217 in Syriaâ€™s shelling attack

04 February 2012 07:39 (UTC +04:00)

"The death toll is now at least 217 people killed in Homs, 138 of them killed in the Khalidiya district," Rami Abdulrahman, head of the British-based group, told Reuters, citing witnesses. Residents said Syrian forces began shelling the Khalidiya neighborhood at around 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Friday using artillery and mortars. They said at least 36 houses were completely destroyed with families inside.

It was not immediately clear what had prompted Syrian forces to launch such an intense bombardment at a time when diplomats at the U.N. Security Council are discussing a draft resolution on an Arab League plan calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to give up power. Protests against the Assadâ€™s government erupted 11 months ago.

Activists said hundreds of people in the cities took to the streets to show solidarity with the victims of crackdown on uprising in Hama 30 years ago.