In Syria, at least five people were killed today when security forces and snipers opened fire on mourners attending mass funerals for some of those killed in a government crackdown yesterday.Rights activists and witnesses said today's deadly shootings took place in the Damascus suburb of Douma and southern town of Izraa. Thousands of mourners had lined the streets to pay their last respects to some of the 75 people that witnesses say were killed yesterday when security forces used live ammunition and tear gas on anti-government protesters. Some mourners chanted anti-government slogans and renewed their calls for President Bashar al-Assad's immediate resignation. World powers have criticized the Syrian government's crackdown on opposition activists yesterday which was the deadliest day since anti-government unrest erupted in March. Today, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Moscow still considered Syria a friend, but was firmly convinced that only constructive dialogue and accelerated reforms would bring stability to the country. Yesterday, U.S. President Barack Obama condemned Syria for what he called an outrageous use of violence and accused Assad of seeking Iranian assistance in the brutal crackdown. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon joined Obama in calling for an immediate stop to the crackdown in Syria. Yesterday's 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.