Security forces made mistakes, says Assad

Assad’s comments were carried by the private Al—Watan daily on Wednesday. They came as a human rights activist said Syrian troops have used heavy machine—guns to bomb a neighbourhood in the central city of Homs.

Lebanese army soldiers take their position at the Lebanese-Syrian border near the western Syrian village of Talkalakh, in the Wadi Khaled area, about one kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Lebanon-Syria border, north Lebanon, on Monday May 16, 2011. Carrying mattresses and bags of clothing, Syrians fleeing their homeland described a "catastrophic" scene Monday in a besieged border town that has been largely sealed off as the army tries to crush a two-month uprising. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Syria’s president says the country’s security forces have made mistakes during the uprising against his regime and that thousands of police officers are receiving new training.

Assad’s comments were carried by the private Al—Watan daily on Wednesday. They came as a human rights activist said Syrian troops have used heavy machine—guns to bomb a neighbourhood in the central city of Homs.

Mustafa Osso said the bombing of Bab Amr district took place early Wednesday.

Syria’s top rights organization has said that the crackdown by Mr. Assad has killed more than 850 people since the protests erupted in mid—March.

The latest place to see a harsh crackdown on dissent is the western town of Talkalakh. Activists say 27 people have been killed there since last week.