Syria's opposition, hoping to topple President Bashar al-Assad, has charted a transitional period, as more civilians died in a regime crackdown despite the presence of peace monitors.

Meanwhile the rebel Free Syrian Army said it is suspending operations against regime forces during the one-month renewable mission of monitors deployed in Syria to implement an Arab League peace plan.

At least 32 civilians were killed on Friday, including 25 who were shot dead by Syrian forces who opened fire on massive protests that rocked the country while the monitors toured flashpoints, awatchdogsaid.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that Syrian forces used "nail bombs” to disperse anti-regime rallies, and fired live ammunition, tear gas and stun grenades at tens of thousands of prodemocracy protesters.

Funerals for several victims were held

yesterday across Syria.

Security forces also fired warning shots into the air as thousands of people began pouring into a square in the restive Damascus suburb of Douma for a funeral ceremony, the Britain-based Observatory said.

In Cairo, headquarters of the Arab League, the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) and the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria (NCB) inked a deal late Friday as they eye a post-regime transition.

An English language statement from the NCB said the deal "sets out the political and democratic rules for the transitional period," should Assad be ousted by the uprising that erupted in March.

The accord also "determines the important parameters for Syria's future which aspire to ensure that the homeland and every citizen's rights are treated with dignity, and for the foundation of a civil democratic state."