About 17 gunmen, including a Saudi, were killed by security agents in two "qualitative" operations in Syria's central province of Homs, the private al- Watan daily said.
It said the Saudi is of a Syrian origin, dismissing media claims that the Saudi, called Bandar, was killed while on a visit to his friends in Homs.
The paper said that 57 wanted have been arrested in Homs.
The authorities have rounded up dozens of wanted people over the past week during its manhunt for those who have attacked governmental establishment and army bases.
Central Syria, mainly Homs province, has emerged as a hub of armed insurrection against the government forces. The protests there have even turned to be violent and deadly and have claimed the lives of a number of civilians and security agents and policemen in a revenge-related killings.
Xinhua News Agency
