Syria Blames Gangs as Death Toll Rises

As clashes between the Syrian military and protesters rage, residents continue mourning dead relatives.

An amateur video uploaded to social media websites allegedly shows the funeral of a 14-year-old boy, Salam, who was reportedly killed by Syrian forces in Douma, a Damascus, suburb on Monday.

Salam was reportedly killed by Syrian security forces. Al Arabiya cannot independently verify the content of video uploaded to social media websites.

A coffin is seen carried through the streets by protesting women dressed in black.

In this video, protestors in Idlib are chanting “Leave, Bashar,” demanding that Bashar al-Assad relinquish his powers.

In the south of the Houran Plain, in Busr al-Hariri, demonstrators chant ''Deraa, your rebels are as strong as steel.''

According to the United Nations, at least 2,600 people have been killed in Syria since pro-democracy protests began in March.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said the death toll has increased by 400 after “reliable sources on the ground" increased the count.

However, one of Assad’s advisors stated on Monday that only 1,400 people have been killed, and half of the dead were police officers.

The Syrian government continues to blame terrorist groups for the killing of protestors, and says that security officials are protecting the people.

Despite his statement videos and images continue to surface on the internet of tanks and soldiers opening fire on unarmed protestors.

Because of Russia and China’s veto powers, the United Nations Security Council has failed to reach an agreement on a resolution imposing sanctions on Assad

There has been no hint in the West of any appetite for military action along the lines of the NATO bombing that helped topple Libya's Muammar Qaddafi.