Syria Protest
A boy with the Syrian opposition flag painted on his face shows the victory sign in front of a burnt picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at a demonstration in Sidon, Lebanon, Sunday. Reuters

At least 20 Syrian government soldiers have been killed in fierce clashes with rebels in the north-western province of Latakia, opposition groups said Wednesday.

According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the fighting took place in the Jabal al-Akrad region near the Turkish border.