Anti-government protesters in Syria took to streets in several cities on Friday, reiterating calls for the stepping down of the leadership, activists said, as the mainstream media reported at least 10 government troops were killed during attacks over the weekend.

On Friday, protests erupted in Syria's northern Aleppo, eastern Hasaka and Deir al-Zour provinces as well as central Homs and some suburbs of the capital Damascus, said the opposition Local Coordination Committees (LCC).

Some pan-Arab news TVs aired amateur video footage showing protesters chanting anti-government slogans in several areas, saying that 11 people had been killed up to Friday.

Also Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported shelling of rebellious neighborhood of Khaldiyah in central Homs province.

Neither the activists' report nor the video footage' authenticity could be independently verified.

Meanwhile, the state-run SANA news agency said 10 law- enforcement members were killed Friday when an explosive device weighing 100 kg was detonated at al-Quneitra province, some 67 km south of Damascus.

The report added that a bomb went off in Aleppo on Friday, leaving one civilian killed and five others injured.

Another bomb was reportedly detonated in one of Damascus' upscale neighborhoods, targeting security forces, ripping through al-Maisat neighborhood but causing no casualties, according to local media.

The latest incidents mark a violation to the UN-backed cease- fire that went into effect last week.