19 October 2011 Last updated at 11:54 ET

Syria unrest: Aleppo sees huge pro-Assad rally

Thousands of people have staged a rally in Syria's second largest city, in an apparent show of support for embattled President Bashar al-Assad.

People in the northern city of Aleppo waved national flags, saying they backed Mr Assad's pledged reforms.

The demonstration comes as at least 10 people were killed in clashes in the central province of Homs, reports say.

About 3,000 people have been killed across Syria since anti-government protests began in March, the UN says.

Damascus says it is tackling "armed terrorist groups".

'Civilians shot'

On Wednesday, Syrian state TV broadcast pictures of the large gathering in Aleppo.

It showed demonstrators with Syrian national flags and Assad pictures chanting in the city's main square.

The rally came a week after a similar demonstration in the capital Damascus.

The Syrian opposition says that such gatherings are orchestrated and sponsored by the government - a claim denied by Damascus.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people were killed in Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The British-based human rights group said most of the victims were civilians shot dead by Syrian security services and pro-government militia.

The reports could not be independently verified, as Syria has banned most foreign media from entering the country.