At least 50 people, including 13 children, were killed when
Syrian forces attacked the town of Houla in Homs province on Friday
according to Syrian anti-government activists.
In other areas of Syria, activists said that a further 33 people were killed. The Syrian government news agency said that 17 people had been killed by anti-government gunmen. None of the figures could be independently verified.
The surge in violence came as Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general told the UN security council there had been some progress in reducing violence, but the overall situation remained very serious.
"There is a continuing crisis on the ground, characterised by regular violence, deteriorating humanitarian conditions, human rights violations and continued political confrontation," he reported to the security council in a letter.
Reports from activists and the government suggest that violence took places in dozens of areas involving helicopter gunships, tanks, artillery, roadside bombs and small arms.
The most intense violence appeared to take place in Houla, a group of four villages near Homs where Syrian security forces opened fire on an anti-government protest. Anti-government forces retaliated and the army began shelling the area, killing an estimated 50 people, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the local co-ordination committees.
Activist Ahmad Kassem told Reuters: "The soldiers are shelling Houla right now, the casualties are huge."
In his report to the security council, Ban wrote that the size and sophistication of some recent bomb attacks in Syria suggest that "established terrorist groups" may have been behind them and urged groups and countries not to supply weapons to either side in Syria.
Ban said the UN observers noted that "significant parts of some cities appear to be under the de facto control of opposition elements."
"There is an overall atmosphere of tension, mistrust and fear," Ban said. " The overall level of violence in the country remains quite high."
Meanwhile a group of Lebanese Shia men abducted by Syrian rebels this week were not freed despite reports to the contrary. Ahmed Ramdan of the Syrian National Council, an opposition group, told Reuters they hoped to move the men to Turkey soon. "We are still working on the handover. They are still with the armed group," he said.
In other areas of Syria, activists said that a further 33 people were killed. The Syrian government news agency said that 17 people had been killed by anti-government gunmen. None of the figures could be independently verified.
The surge in violence came as Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general told the UN security council there had been some progress in reducing violence, but the overall situation remained very serious.
"There is a continuing crisis on the ground, characterised by regular violence, deteriorating humanitarian conditions, human rights violations and continued political confrontation," he reported to the security council in a letter.
Reports from activists and the government suggest that violence took places in dozens of areas involving helicopter gunships, tanks, artillery, roadside bombs and small arms.
The most intense violence appeared to take place in Houla, a group of four villages near Homs where Syrian security forces opened fire on an anti-government protest. Anti-government forces retaliated and the army began shelling the area, killing an estimated 50 people, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the local co-ordination committees.
Activist Ahmad Kassem told Reuters: "The soldiers are shelling Houla right now, the casualties are huge."
In his report to the security council, Ban wrote that the size and sophistication of some recent bomb attacks in Syria suggest that "established terrorist groups" may have been behind them and urged groups and countries not to supply weapons to either side in Syria.
Ban said the UN observers noted that "significant parts of some cities appear to be under the de facto control of opposition elements."
"There is an overall atmosphere of tension, mistrust and fear," Ban said. " The overall level of violence in the country remains quite high."
Meanwhile a group of Lebanese Shia men abducted by Syrian rebels this week were not freed despite reports to the contrary. Ahmed Ramdan of the Syrian National Council, an opposition group, told Reuters they hoped to move the men to Turkey soon. "We are still working on the handover. They are still with the armed group," he said.
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