AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian forces on Friday fired at several thousand pro-democracy protesters who defied a heavy security presence in the southern city of Deraa, injuring scores, three witnesses said.

They said demonstrators in Deraa, the cradle of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, took to the main Mahatta area, chanting: "The people want the overthrow of the regime."

At least eight people were shot and carried by youths to a nearby makeshift clinic, the witnesses said, adding at least two sustained serious gunshot wounds in the head and chest.

(Reporting by Suleimen al-Khalidi; Editing by Janet Lawrence)