Pallade Veneta - Syria security forces disperse rival protests in Damascus

The incident came after deadly violence in Syria's Alawite heartland that saw hundreds killed, according to a war monitor, in attacks targeting the religious minority or in clashes between security forces and armed groups loyal to toppled president Bashar al-Assad.

Activists had called for a silent protest in Damascus "to mourn the souls of the civilians and the martyrs among the security forces".

Dozens gathered for the demonstration, some raising signs saying "Syrian lives are not cheap", before they were confronted by counter-protesters who chanted anti-Alawite slogans and called for a "Sunni Muslim state".

About 200 protesters had gathered in total on both sides, AFP journalists said.

Physical altercations broke out between the demonstrators, before security forces intervened and dispersed them, firing gunshots into the air.

"We were slaughtered for 14 years and we didn't hear a word from you," one of the counter-protesters was heard shouting before the demonstrations broke up.

A woman from the original demonstration responded, calling on them to settle "your score with Assad, we have nothing to do with his crimes".

Bilal Abdullah, 37, said he joined that demonstration "to mourn the souls of the martyrs among the general security and the army, as well as the civilians who were killed recently on the coast and in the countryside".

Clashes erupted on Thursday between the new security forces and gunmen loyal to Assad, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Sunday reporting 231 members of the security forces and 250 pro-Assad fighters killed.

The Observatory also said security forces and allied groups killed 830 Alawite civilians in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus.

The violence is the fiercest since Islamist-led rebels toppled Assad on December 8 following a lightning offensive.

Z.Ottaviano--PV