Damascus, April 7 (IANS) A group of unidentified armed men shot dead a Dutch priest in the rebel-held old quarter of Syria's Homs Monday, media reported. The Gunmen opened fire at dawn on Father Frans van der Lugt at the Monastery of Jesuit Fathers in Bustan al-Diwan neighbourhood, killing him instantly, Xinhua reported citing state-run SANA news agency. Activists reported the death of the priest who had lived in Syria for 30 years, saying "unk**wn masked gunmen" shot the priest in his head after beating him. The 72-year-old priest refused to leave the rebel-held old city of Homs, which has been besieged by government troops for more than a year-and-a-half.