Syrian forces have detained and tortured children as young as 13 as president Bashar al-Assad’s regime tries to crush a nearly 11-month-old uprising, Human Rights Watch said, as fresh clashes erupted between regime troops and rebels in the country’s south.

A GENERAL strike was observed yesterday in several regions of Syria to step up the pressure on the regime, activists said, as fears grew of an “invasion” of the besieged protest hub of Homs.

Security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters in southern Syria, killing at least three people, as the government moves to crush a popular nationwide revolt, Syrian rights activists said today.