At least 128 people were killed across Syria on Friday, as fighting raged in parts of Damascus and troops fired on protests in the country's second city of Aleppo, a Britain-based activist group said.

Friday's violence came after more than 300 people were killed nationwide on Thursday, making it the deadliest day of a 16-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 85 civilians, 26 government troops and 17 rebels were among those killed on Friday.

Eleven civilians and two rebels were killed in the southern city of Daraa, and 12 civilians were killed in the northwestern city of Idlib, along with three rebel fighters, the group said.
In the capital, where the Syrian army was conducting a counter-offensive to try to recapture districts under rebel control, nine civilians were reported dead, along with three rebel fighters, while 25 civilians and one rebel were killed in Damascus province, the group said.

In Aleppo, the country's commercial centre, activists said security forces  opened fire on a demonstration, and the Observatory reported fierce fighting in
several of the city's districts. It put the death toll in the city at 10 civilians, including at least one  killed in a demonstration, and six rebel fighters.

The group said government forces were killed in battles in Idlib province,  Homs, Damascus and Daraa, without giving a detailed breakdown.

[AFP]