Hundreds of Syrians chanted "freedom" as they gathered late Saturday in the Damascus suburb of Douma to receive protesters wounded when they confronted security forces the day before, a witness said.
Around 50 wounded arrived in secret police cars to Municipality Square, where at least five people were killed on Friday when security forces fired at protesters demanding political freedoms and an end to corruption, according to human right defenders.
Secret police agents gave the names of 25 more serious cases in hospital, the witness said.
"They promised to give the bodies tomorrow morning to the families. We are expecting 15 dead," said the witness, who lives in the suburb.
Another witness who toured the suburb Saturday said shops in at least one main commercial street were closed in solidarity with the protesters, who gathered after Friday prayers despite the heavy presence of regular police forces and secret police.
The killings in Douma brought to at least 60 the number of deaths in protests against Baath Party rule that erupted in the southern city of Deraa 15 days ago and spread to the capital, the coast and areas in between.
(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis)