43 killed in Syria: Report

London, Aug 2 (IANS) Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has alleged that at least 43 young civilians were tortured and killed by the Syrian military in a school in the Middle East country, the AKI news agency reported Thursday.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad "penetrated" the Jdaidet Artuz district Wednesday and arrested around 100 youngsters who were taken to a school where they were "tortured and murdered", the Observatory was quoted as saying by Al Arabiya News.

On Thursday, the bodies of 43 people were discovered.

"Some among them were summarily executed," it said.

Assad, in his speech Wednesday to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the security forces, said the Syrian army was supposedly engaged in a "crucial and heroic battle onto which the destiny and history of the citizens depends".

"The enemy is among us today, using agents to destabilize the country, the security of its citizens... and continues to exhaust our economic and scientific resources," Assad said.