Syria's 'Day of Rage' Protests Lead to 24 Deaths

Anti-government activists stand off against Assad's security forces after attending Friday prayers.

At least 24 protesters have been killed in mass demonstrations across Syria today in what the pro-democracy movement called a “day of rage.” Security forces shot at least 15 people in the city of Deraa, where the uprising began, according to reports on the ground. Protests aimed at booting President Bashar al-Assad took place in nearly every major city, with 15,000 marching in the capital Damascus after attending Friday prayers, as was the case in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, and Tunisia. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council agreed on Friday to a resolution spearheaded by the U.S. to send a team of investigators into Syria to monitor the crackdown. Rights groups estimate that nearly 500 people have been killed there so far.