'Four Killed By Syrian Forces' At Assad Rally

Security forces in Syria have shot dead four people who shouted slogans against the country's leader during a pro-government rally, activists have said.

The gathering was organised by the authorities in Hama on Sunday following an Arab League decision to suspend Syria over its violence against protesters in recent months.

Groups reportedly broke away and started shouting: "The people want the fall of the regime."

Witnesses said they were followed by security forces and four were killed.

Earlier, supporters of President Bashar al Assad broke into the Saudi Arabian and Qatari embassies in Damascus to express their anger over the decision by other Arab League members.

French and Turkish consulates in the city of Latakia were also attacked. The violent scenes have prompted Turkey to evacuate the families of its diplomatic staff.

And Syria has now called for an urgent Arab summit to discuss the deepening political unrest in the country.

Windows were broken and the building ransacked at the Saudi embassy, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Protesters broke through the gates of the Qatari embassy and replaced the Gulf nation's flag with a Syrian one, witnesses said.

Syria has been warned it will be suspended from the Arab League on November 16 unless it halts the killing of demonstrators calling for President Assad to go.

The 22-nation body told Damascus it could impose economic and political sanctions if it did not stop the violence.

The UN estimates at least 3,500 people have died since the crackdown started, and is is thought 250 have been killed since November 2, despite Mr Assad pledging to implement an Arab League peace initiative.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the body in Cairo, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim said: "We were criticised for taking a long time but this was out of our concern for Syria.

"We needed to have a majority to approve those decisions.

"We are calling all Syrian opposition parties to a meeting at the Arab League headquarters to agree a unified vision for the transitional period."

Angry Syrian officials said the decision was illegal and that it spelled the end of any Arab role in resolving the situation.

Syria's ambassador to the League, Yussef Ahmad, described the suspension as "contrary to the treaty" which set up the pan-Arab organisation.

He said it "put an end to joint Arab action and shows the administration is subjected to US and Western agendas".

Western nations and the UN have signalled their support for the Arab league's move.

US President Barack Obama applauded the League's efforts to "hold the Syrian government accountable".

British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt condemned the attacks on embassies and consulates in Syria, adding: "We support the Arab League in its efforts to bring about an end to the killing of Syrian people.

"Its member states' diplomats should not become targets as a result of these efforts."