Damascus, April 29 (IANS) At least 78 soldiers and 70 civilians had been killed in Syria since the unrest broke out six weeks ago, Arab News Agency SANA quoted an official military source as saying.
The source dismissed allegations made on some satellite TV channels about the withdrawal of some members of the ruling Bath party and it also denied reports that 450 people were killed since the unrest erupted, calling it "poison of false propaganda."
Army units are still pursuing remnants of the "extremist terrorist groups" in the southern province of Daraa to restore calm to the city, it said.
The Syrian ministry of interior, in the meantime, called on citizens not to demonstrate or protest without a formal approval.