Syrian troops kill 17 despite peace deal

Syrian troops killed 17 people on Friday as demonstrators, denouncing “despots and tyrants,” took to the streets to test the regime’s commitment to an Arab peace deal calling for an end to violence.Washington had already warned that the signs were not encouraging after troops killed 20 civilians on Thursday, the first day the hard-won agreement aimed at ending nearly eight month of bloodshed came into effect.The Arab League plan, which was agreed upon on Wednesday in Cairo, forsees a complete halt to the violence, the release of protesters who have been detained since February, the withdrawal of forces from areas where there have been armed clashes, and granting access to delegates from the 22-member body and the international media.