Syrian army major assassinated

in his house in the Jaramana area in Damascus.
Joni is the third senior officer to have been killed in three days.  
Meanwhile, SANA said “terrorist groups” threw dynamite sticks at law-enforcement patrols in Sabunia neighborhood in Hama, causing no casualties.
While in the northern Idlib province, authorities blocked an infiltration attempt by gunmen coming from Turkey’s territories through Khirbet al-Jouz town in Idlib, SANA said, adding that some of the gunmen fled back to Turkey after the confrontation.  
The incidents came as thousands of people staged anti-government rallies countrywide to call for the downfall of the leadership and to test the government’s sincerity in applying the truce deal brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan, which calls for a troop withdrawal from populated areas by April 10 and a cease-fire by April 12.  
Protests erupted in central Homs, Hama provinces, northern Hasaka province and some suburbs of the capital Damascus, according to activist group Local Coordination Committees, which said that at least seven protesters were killed by government forces during yesterday’s protests.  
The UN has estimated that more than 9 000 people have so far been killed in the year-long conflict, including at least 500 children; while Damascus says 6 044 have died, including 2 566 soldiers and policemen. — Xinhua.