As More Die, Syria Frees 755 Prisoners

At least six people are dead after Syrian troops fired into a crowd of thousands of protesters gathered in Hama, say activists. Arab League observers are scheduled to arrive in that city tomorrow, and the protesters were apparently working their way toward the main square to participate in a sit-in when troops opened fire and hurled tear gas. Two more were reportedly killed in Homs' Baba Amr district, and four soldiers died in an ambush on defectors in Daraa province, reports the AP.

But for others, some relief: The government today also released 755 people who have been imprisoned over the last nine months. The move follows last night's accusation by Human Rights Watch that the government was hiding hundreds of detainees from the observers by stashing them at military sites, which the Arab League was not granted access to. State-run news agency SANA said the 755 did not include people with "blood on their hands." (More Syria stories.)