Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rallied in the flashpoint city of Homs on Friday, expressing inspiration from the movement that brought the demise of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.

Activists say protesters chanted slogans in support of Libya's transitional forces as they renewed calls for Mr. Assad's departure. They say security forces opened fire and killed two civilians at a checkpoint in the central city.

Earlier this week, Libya's National Transitional Council officially recognized Syria's opposition National Council as the country's legitimate representative. Syrian activists express hope that they too will see a transition of rule in Syria.

The United Nations says more than 3,000 people have been killed in Syria since the government began cracking down on dissent earlier this year.

However, Syrian authorities have blamed much of the country's deadly violence on gunmen and “terrorist” groups.

On Wednesday, Mr. Assad received a huge show of support as tens of thousands of loyalists rallied in the northern city of Aleppo.