Syrian forces open fire

The violence in Deir el-Zour, near the border with Iraq, brings the death toll to nine after two days of military operations across the country. Military sweeps began on Wednesday in the capital, the northern Idlib province, the central city of Homs and near the Turkish border.

“All the shops have closed, we have announced a general strike, maybe even civil disobedience,” said an activist in Deir el-Zour.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of sources on the ground across the country, said at least two people were killed and ten others wounded.