Group reports 3 deaths in Syrian violence

DAMASCUS, Syria, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Syrian forces killed at least seven people Thursday, despite government agreement to halt violence and meet with the opposition within two weeks, officials say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian forces killed at least seven people in Homs Thursday, The New York Times reported.

"There's been an unusual escalation since yesterday," said Homs resident Mohammed Saleh. "The bloodshed hasn't stopped."

The circumstances of the killings are unclear.

Opposition leaders said the government's acceptance of the plan was a scheme to buy time as it seeks to put an end to uprisings by force.

"It is not in the regime's interest to agree to this initiative," said Louay Hussein, an opposition leader in Damascus. "But they are publicly obliged to say that they have agreed because there is international and Arab support for the proposal."

On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar Assad's government agreed to "stop all violence from any side in order to protect the Syrian citizens," Qatari Prime and Foreign Minister Sheik Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani said after an Arab League meeting in Cairo, CNN reported. Syria also agreed to allow Arab League observers and international journalists to document the developments, he said.

Hamad also said Syrian officials would initiate a "national dialogue" moderated by the Arab League in two weeks.

The Free Syrian Army -- military deserters who helped defend anti-government protesters -- said it would follow the Arab League agreement "as long as the regime commits to the same," CNN reported.

Syrian leaders have pledged to pull forces from civilian areas before, but sometimes only armored units were withdrawn or the forces returned after a brief pullout.

In Cairo, Syrian residents Wednesday protested the Arab League's agreement with the Syrian government, chanting "traitors, traitors, traitors, the Arab states are traitors" in front of the league's headquarters, Bikyamasr.com reported.