Syrian Authorities Tell U.N. Team to Leave Homs for 'Security Reasons'

Syrian authorities ordered a U.N. team to leave the city of Homs on Monday after protests erupted there, a U.N. spokesman said.

Three people were shot dead when security forces opened fire on a rally in Homs on Monday, according to activists.

The U.N. team was in the city as part of a mission to assess Syria's humanitarian needs as President Bashar al-Assad pursues a deadly crackdown on protests.

"The mission proceeded to Homs today as planned. A protest situation developed and the mission was advised to leave for security reasons," U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

"The mission did not come under fire," he added.

Crowds took to the streets of Homs when they heard the U.N. mission was in the city to make their voices heard, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdul Rahman told Agence France Presse.

"Three people were killed and several wounded when some shabbiha (pro-regime militiamen) and members of the security forces opened fire," he said.

The U.N. mission arrived Saturday for a five-day inspection and began its work the next day in Damascus to assess humanitarian needs, officials said. While the team was in the Damascus suburb of Douma protesters also rallied against Assad, witnesses said.