Syria Kills 20 Demonstrators, Says Soldiers Die in Ambush

Syrian security forces have killed at least 20 protesters since the European Union expanded its sanctions in response to President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on dissent.

At least two people died today in the central town of Talkalakh, in the Homs governorate, while several people were wounded in the northern province of Idlib, Mahmoud Merhi, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, said by phone from Damascus. Eighteen people were killed yesterday in Homs, Idlib and the Hama governorate, he said.