Syrian protesters burn govt buildings

In Latakia,dozens staged an anti-government protest before attacking the Baath offices,said Ammar Qurabi,an exile in Egypt who heads Syrias National Organisation for Human Rights.

He said hundreds were burning tires and attacking cars and shops.

Qurabi said four people were killed when armed forces fired on protesters Friday in Latakia,which is almost evenly divided between the countrys majority Sunni Muslims and Alawites,members of a branch of Shiite Islam who hold most positions of power,including the presidency.

Assad pulled back police and soldiers from Deraa and released hundreds of political prisoners on Saturday in an attempt to appease demonstrators furious about the violent government crackdown on dissent.

A resident told The Associated Press by telephone that security forces had withdrawn to the outskirts of Deraa,where protests demanding the release of youths arrested for spraying anti-government graffiti have spiraled into daily confrontations with security forces,who have repeatedly opened fire.