Syrian troops and helicopters are clashing with rebels in the central town of Rastan, activists said today.

Syria’s foreign ministry has denied government troops were behind an attack on a string of villages that left more than 90 people dead.

Syrian government shelling and offensives against rebel-held towns killed at least 74 people across the country today, activists have said.

At least 28 people have been killed by Syrian government shelling and offensives against rebel-held towns, activists said today.

Syrian troops have launched a fierce assault on a Damascus suburb, days ahead of a deadline for a UN-brokered ceasefire.

Syrian troops began pulling out today from some calm cities and headed back to their bases a week ahead of a deadline to implement an international ceasefire plan, a government official said.

Three Syrian government soldiers have been killed in clashes with rebels in the central province of Homs, an activist group said.

Syrian artillery pounded the rebel city of Rastan yesterday, killing seven civilians, monitors said.

Syrian security forces are advancing on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Baba Amr in the city of Homs, an official says.

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.

Syrian government troops shelled rebel-held central areas today, killing at least four people, activists said, as the US, Europe and Arab nations met in Tunisia to seek ways to ease the crisis.

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.

The failure of the UN Security Council to pass a resolution on Syria has encouraged Damascus to step up its assault on the opposition and launch an “indiscriminate attack” on Homs, the UN human rights chief said.

Syrian rebels have repelled a push by government tanks into a key central town held by forces fighting against President Bashar Assad’s regime, an activist group said today.

Syrian troops are crushing pockets of resistance on the outskirts of Damascus as they advance into suburbs previously held by rebel forces, activists said.

The Arab League has given Syria 24 hours to agree to allow an observer mission into the country, or it could face sanctions.

Clashes between Syrian troops and army defectors in the country’s north west killed four people today, while gunmen shot dead a political activist in the latest in a wave of targeted killings in a rebellious central city, activists said.

Syrian troops have targeted forces opposed to President Bashar Assad in clashes that have left seven soldiers and policemen dead, a military official said.

Troops firing from machine guns mounted on tanks have stormed a rebellious town in central Syria.

SYRIAN security forces pursuing anti-government protesters stormed several towns and villages, killing at least six people — including a child — and wounding many others during raids and house-to-house searches, activists said.

Syrian security forces pursuing anti-government protesters stormed a northern village today, killing at least one person and wounding many others during raids and house-to-house searches, activists said.

Syrian tanks today rolled toward the tense central city of Hama, still mourning the deaths of dozens of protesters.

Syrian security forces have opened fire during one of the largest anti-government protests so far in the 10-week revolt, killing at least 27 people, as tens of thousands of Syrians poured into the streets after Friday prayers, a human rights group said.

Government troops continued to pound a Syrian town today as the death toll from the shelling rose to 41.

A government crackdown on two Syrian towns in the country’s centre and south killed at least 33 people, including an 11-year-old girl shot dead by troops during a fierce shelling, activists have said.

Syrian activists say the military has begun a new artillery attack on a town in the country’s turbulent heartland, killing at least one person.

Syrian troops bombarded a town in the central province of Homs with artillery today, causing several casualties a day after nine people were killed in a continuing crackdown in the country’s turbulent heartland, activists said.

SYRIAN government troops backed by tanks yesterday attacked two central towns that have seen intense protests against President Bashar Assad’s regime, while security forces opened fire at demonstrators in several parts of the country causing casualties, activists said.