Syria's state news agency SANA said violence and "acts of sabotage" broke out at a demonstration on Friday in the city of Daraa, south of the capital, prompting security forces to intervene.

"Infiltrators took advantage of a gathering of citizens near the Omari Mosque in the city of Daraa on Friday afternoon to provoke chaos through acts of violence which resulted in damage to private and public property," SANA reported.

"The infiltrators also set cars and shops on fire, which obliged security forces to intervene in order to protect citizens and property," it added. "They were also attacked by the infiltrators before the latter dispersed."

SANA said another "gathering" had taken place in the coastal city of Banias, with no clashes.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon