French journalist, several others killed in Syria

Gilles Jacquier, of France 2 TV, was on a rare Western reporting trip authorized by Syria's embattled government amid a 10-month uprising against the regime of President Bashar Assad. Another France-2 reporter was uninjured.

News director Thierry Thullier of France Televisions French TV that Jacquier appeared to have been killed by a mortar or rocket as part of a series of attacks.

A report on Addounia TV said eight people were killed and at least 25 people wounded, but the circumstances were unclear.

The news of the deaths came just hours after Assad appeared at a rally in Damascus on Wednesday to show popular support and a government in control.

Separately, the Arab League announced that it was delaying sending more monitors to the country after an attack on its team this week.

The Arab League currently has 165 observers in Syria, and recently said it would increase the numbers.