Rights group raises Friday's toll in Syria to 63

[June 04, 2011]  BEIRUT (AP) -- A Syrian human rights activist has raised Friday's death toll among protesters to 63, most of them killed after troops opened fire on crowds in the central city of Hama.

Activists had initially said Friday that at least 48 people had been killed across Syria.

Mustafa Osso also said Saturday that the Internet has been mostly restored, a day after authorities shut it down.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that at least 48 people were killed in Hama alone. In 1982, the Syrian regime heavily bombed the city, killing thousands.

The Local Coordination Committees, which helps organize and document Syria's protests, said at least 1,270 people have been killed since an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in mid-March.

[Associated Press; By BASSEM MROUE]

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