Syrian helicopter gunships fired up machineguns to disperse a huge pro-democracy protest in the town of Maarat al-Numaan on Friday, witness said, in the first report use of air power to quell protest in Syria's uprising.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that helicopters fired at the town after safety forces on the land killed five protesters, but said no killings were report in the assault by the helicopters.
"At least five helicopters fly over Maarat al-Numaan and began firing their machineguns to break up the tens of thousands who marched in the protest," one of the witness said by telephone.
