Two Syrian police killed near Damascus; protesters call for more rallies

According to various reports , two Syrian policemen were killed by unknown gunmen in Kafar Batna, near Damascus.

Syrian state television reported that the two officers were conducting a normal patrol when they were fired upon. The killings occurred near Douma, a Damascus suburb where state security forces had killed at least eight protesters last week during protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Separately, Syrian opposition activists, dissatisfied with the glacial pace of reform by Assad’s government, are calling for more demonstrations – particularly to mourn the dozens of people who have died across the country during protests over the last three weeks.

The Syrian Revolution 2011 Facebook page is planning protests for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, labeling it as Martyrs Week.

Assad has made some token gestures of change in response to the protesters demand – including sacking the former cabinet and asking a minister to form a new government. He also said he has formed a committee to study lifting the emergency laws which have been in place since 1963, when his father, Hafez, seized power.

In an odd note, the government has cancelled all football matches – apparently fearing that such a large gathering of people could turn into anti-government rallies.