Syrian security forces have stormed student dorms at a university in the north west after anti-government protests, killing at least four students and wounding several others, activists and opposition groups said.

Student activist Thaer al-Ahmed said security forces and pro-regime gunmen fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the students at Aleppo University after entering the residences late on Wednesday night.

He said raids and intermittent gunfire continued until early this morning.

More than 50 students were arrested in the incident.

The Local Co-ordination Committees activist group and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the raid and casualties.