At least 12 people were killed when Syrian security forces and snipers opened fire on mourners attending funerals on Saturday – one day after the bloodiest crackdown so far in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Rights groups and witnesses say the shootings took place in the Damascus suburb of Douma and the southern town of Izraa. Thousands of people had gathered at both locations to protest the deaths of at least 75 people on Friday. Witnesses says security forces opened fire on peaceful protestors without warning. World powers have criticized the Syrian government's crackdown on opposition activists on Friday. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also has called for an immediate stop to the crackdown in Syria. Friday's deadly crackdown came one day after President Assad had signed a decree ending almost 50 years of emergency rule. The decree was part of his effort to end anti-government unrest by meeting some of the demands of protesters.