In the latest wave of violence, the Syrian Revolution General Commission said 16 civilians were killed by security forces and armed Bashar al-Assad loyalists on Monday.

The western city of Homs, a hub of protests, was worst hit, with 13 casualties.

Two people were killed in Hama and one in Idlib, the Commission said.

These are exclusive pictures of large protests in Homs, with an update from Al Jazeera's Nisreen el-Shamayleh.