Syria has moved closer to possible Arab League sanctions, as the country's death toll from opposition-related unrest continues to mount.

The Arab League's midday Friday deadline for Syria to accept international monitors, or face additional penalties, passed with no formal response from Damascus. However, league ministers say they will give Syria until the end of Friday to respond.

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil el-Araby says he received a letter from Syria asking questions about the proposed observer mission.

The league suspended Syria's membership two weeks ago because of the government's violent crackdown on dissent and President Bashar al-Assad's failure to implement a league plan designed to end the unrest.

League representatives are due to meet again Saturday to discuss possible sanctions on Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights tells VOA that security forces have killed at least eight people across the country.

The Syrian military, meanwhile, reported on Friday that “terrorists” killed six of its pilots and three other officers. The state-run SANA news agency says the incident took place in the Homs region on Thursday.

The violence occurred as protesters took to the streets in several cities on Friday, demanding Mr. Assad's resignation. Separately, state-run media reports government loyalists waving Syrian flags and pictures of the president rallied to express their “rejection” of the Arab League measure.

The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have been killed since March in connection to Syria's anti-government protests.

On Friday, the U.N. Committee against Torture said it had received reports of widespread abuses in Syria, including the torture of children detained by security forces.