Massacre of mystery ask Syrians to fleeNEW: activist, citing the intensity of the shooting, predicts that the number of dead will be riseProtesters attacked Maaret al - Nouman, sayMore witnesses of 3,800 Syrian refugees have fled to song of families TurkeySyrian "Thanks, Erdogan"
Syrian security forces and helicopters fire from automatic weapons with spray on a crowd of thousands of protestors demonstrating Friday after prayers in the northern city of Maaret - Nouman, said witnesses.
At least four men were killed, said the activist Fadi John Sufi.
An activist who has provided the CNN with reliable information in the past, said the crowd numbered tens of thousands, when the security forces in the streets and a high attack helicopter opened fire.
Some protesters used their personal weapons, including hunting rifles and AK-47, to detain a number of members of the security forces when they ran out of ammunition, said the activist, he did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation. It said that the protesters exchanged fire with security forces.
Citing the intensity of the firing of the security forces, the activist predicted that it would increase the number of dead.
CNN may not independently confirm report of activist.
Another of the protesters, activist Yusuf Mohamed Ali Hassan, said he was shot in the right thigh by machine gun fire from a helicopter.
"I'm at a friend's House received secret treatment of a doctor", Ali Hassan told CNN by telephone. "I didn't go to the hospital because I have no confidence in the hospitals."
Maaret - Nouman violence broke out Friday when State television Syria announced that the army launched an operation to retake the nearby northern border rebel city of Jisr al - Shugur.
While the activists and Syrian refugees from the opposition who had fled the city fearing an attack from the Government, said they heard tanks firing as they advanced through villages while approaching Jisr Al - Shugur.
"In response to the appeal of the families, the Syrian army units began to implement its function to restore security in Jisr al - Shugur and surrounding villages and arrest a number of militants," TV Syria announced on Friday morning in a banner.
"Are attacking the village of Sirmaniya, with tanks," Ali Hassan opposition activist, said in a telephone call to CNN earlier in the day, referring to a town of less than 10 kilometres southwest of Jisr al - Shugur.
This comes as anti-government demonstrators engaged in protests across the country, which has been engulfed in the conflict between militants opposing the Bashar al - Assad regime and Government forces are working to tighten the speeches.
Every Friday for weeks, have organized marches against the Government after Muslim prayers. Expression of discontent Friday was nicknamed "the Friday of kinship," which indicates that all Syriacs are part of a family.
The Syrian human rights observatory said that at least 15 people have been killed in several locations, including Maaret - Nouman.
From the top of a hill near Sirmaniya, Ali Hassan said that he saw black smoke from the village and heard tank gun firing several times per minute.
The military advance spread panic among the civilian population. Residents say that women and children of Jisr Al - Shugur in recent days evacuated. More than 3,800 Syrians have fled to Turkey, it was reported the semi-official agency Anatolia, and aid workers feared that many more were on the road.
"My so-called family (of Jisr Al - Shugur) and told me not to go back," said a 27-year-old man named Ali who had fled from his native town and camped along the border with Turkey.
The Syria Government announced that it will punish Jisr al - Shugur, after accusing the "armed groups" of killing at least 120 security forces several days ago.
The refugees have disputed that claim. They say some soldiers rebelled once he ordered to open fire on unarmed demonstrators and began fighting each other instead.
Ali Hassan, the activist of the opposition, of smuggling themselves across the border to the Turkish town of Guvecci to the Thursday night to speak with journalists. CNN had been denied permission to report within Syria.
Ali Hassan showed a video, said that he had fired on his cell phone. Displays a column of thousands of demonstrators unarmed men walking near the city of Jabal wall, approximately 30 kilometres of Jisr al - Shugur, June 3.
Suddenly, long bursts of gunfire rang out, sending the demonstrators running and screaming for cover.
"This was a peaceful protest." Security forces began firing upon the people, "said Ali Hassan." "They were 50 meters away from us." They were security agents dressed in military uniforms. "Some of them had beards and still do not speak Arabic".
Ali Hassan denied the allegations of the Syrian Government that the demonstrators were armed.
"Challenge who said that the demonstrators had firearms or weapons," said Ali Hassan. "No one has even a knife." I am responsible for the search for people that will demonstrate. "Even if they have a stick of wood, not to take it."
Other that at the border are also terrible stories. One protester, injured last month in the leg and arm by Syrian security forces, was being treated at a hospital in Turkey. He said that security personnel opened fire on a peaceful demonstration for a Friday and caused many casualties.
"We are oppressed and we want our freedom, said the protestor's 23 years old, who did not want to be named for security reasons."
A Syrian army officer said that he and other soldiers deserted due to the "massacre of the people of Syria".
"Our current mission is to protect the unarmed protesters who are calling for freedom and democracy," he said.
The continuing bloodshed in Syria being its neighbour and closure of Turkey partner of trade in an increasingly awkward position. On Thursday night, Prime Minister of Turkey, a political ally of the President of Syria, warned that "we can not keep support Syria of all these developments."
Speaking on channel Turkey ATV only three days before his party he is competing in parliamentary elections, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he spoke to four or five days ago with Assad.
"I have explained this situation very clearly," he said. "In spite of this, they take these issues very slightly."
"Syria is almost as an internal matter (Turkey)." We have a border of 800 to 900 kilometers. "We can not close the doors to those who run for their lives and they want to take refuge in Turkey."
He added, "how long can this continue?"
On Friday afternoon, in a refugee camp in the town of Yayladagi of border with Turkey, Syrian families chanted "down with the regime" and "thanks, Erdogan."
A man approached the fence of the abandoned tobacco factory where more than 1,500 refugees were arrested and broke the rules imposed by the Turkish authorities to talk to CNN. I cried and all his brothers were killed on Friday in protest at Maaret - Nouman, said.
"We are protesting the massacre in Maaret - Nouman", said another man.
A third man announced that it would go on hunger strike until the Assad regime is contracted. Turkish police shooed, then away from the fence and journalists.
Journalist Rasha Qass Yousef and Joe Duran of CNN and Arwa Damon contributed to this report
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