Syria Rounds Up Hundreds of Protestors

200 Detained in Syrian Coastal Town

VOA News Syrian rights groups say security forces detained more than 200 people in Banias Sunday, a day after troops killed six people in the sealed off coastal city.

Witnesses say at least 25 tanks are patrolling the city of about 50,000 people to quell anti-government protests.

Rights activists said Syrian troops killed six people in Banias Saturday, including four women marching in a demonstration.

Activists say authorities cut electricity and communications in the city before troops entered Saturday from three directions. The city has been a hub of protests against President Bashar al-Assad, who launched a military crackdown on opposition demonstrations.

Witnesses say military boats patrolled offshore.  

Elsewhere Sunday, residents of the southern town of Tafas and the central city of Homs say they heard gunfire as Syrian forces swept in to make arrests.

Rights groups say at least 600 people have been killed in Syria's crackdown on nationwide anti-government unrest. They say as many as 8,000 people are either missing or detained.