Syrian forces have fired mortar shells at a farming village in the country’s north, killing at least seven people, many from the same family, according to activists.

UN observers visited an embattled neighbourhood in the central Syrian city of Homs today.

Syrian troops shelled a rebel-held area of Homs and sent reinforcements to border areas today.

Syrian troops widened their shelling attacks on opposition targets today in another sign that the UN-brokered ceasefire is unravelling, activists said.

An advance team of six UN observers has arrived in the Syrian capital to monitor the country’s ceasefire, which appeared to be rapidly unravelling today as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs with artillery shells and mortars, activists said.

Syrian troops have resumed their shelling of residential neighbourhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs, activists say.

Shells slammed into the central Syrian city of Homs today, killing more than two dozen people, activists said, as Syria’s government defied ceasefire demands and international efforts to boost the rebels.

Syrian troops have fired mortar rounds at a rebel-held neighbourhood in the central city of Homs in apparent preparation to storm the area, activists said today.

Syrian forces launched a fresh assault on Homs today as the Red Cross pressed forward with efforts to deliver badly needed aid to thousands of people stranded in a besieged neighbourhood despite warnings from regime troops of land mines and booby traps.

Troops are shelling several districts in the rebellious central Syrian city of Homs where the government is keeping a Red Cross convoy blocked from reaching thousands stranded in the area, activists have said.

At least eight people have been reported killed in Syrian government shelling of rebel-held areas as the United States, Europe and Arab nations met in Tunisia to seek ways to end President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on the uprising.

As tensions mounted further in Syria, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby last night appointed Kofi Annan, Ban's predecessor as joint special envoy on the Syrian crisis.

The Red Cross has called for a daily two-hour ceasefire in Syria so that it can deliver emergency aid and reach people who are wounded or sick.

Syria’s military today sent tanks and other reinforcements towards the city of Homs in what appears to be preparations by President Bashar Assad’s regime for an offensive aimed at retaking rebel-held neighbourhoods, activists said.

Syrian troops have shelled rebel-held neighbourhoods in the city of Homs, a day after the UN General Assembly condemned human rights violations by the regime.

Twenty-five people have been killed and 175 wounded in two explosions that targeted security compounds in the northern city of Aleppo, Syrian media reports.

Syria's President Bashar Assad appears to be pouring reinforcements into the battle against his opponents in Syria.

Syrian troops have continued shelling residential neighbourhoods in the central city of Homs for the fifth straight day, killing scores of people, activists said.

Syrian forces renewed their assault on the flashpoint city of Homs as Russia’s foreign minister stressed the need for reform during talks in Damascus with President Bashar Assad about Syria’s escalating violence.

At least 12 people were killed today as Syrian troops shelled parts of the city of Homs, striking a makeshift medical clinic and residential areas, activists said.

Syrian forces unleashed a barrage of artillery on the battered city of Homs for hours before dawn today, killing more than 200 people in what appeared to be the bloodiest episode in the 11-month-old uprising, activists said.

Syrian forces killed at least 200 people and wounded hundreds in a deadly barrage of shelling early today, in an offensive that appears to be the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising, activists said.

Syrian forces killed at least 200 people and wounded hundreds in a deadly barrage of shelling early today, in an offensive that appears to be the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising, activists said.

Syrian troops have fired on protesters in the city of Homs as Arab League observers toured the area to see whether the regime is keeping its pledge to halt the crackdown on dissent.