Syrian government forces killed more than 60 people today in assaults on villages and an artillery barrage in the restive city of Homs, activists have said.
The Red Cross called for daily ceasefires to let in urgently needed aid after reports that at least 30 people died in the bombardment of the Baba Amro neighbourhood of Homs and that 33 more were killed when by president Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the northern Idlib province.
In Damascus, security forces opened fire on demonstrators overnight, wounding at least four, activists said. Violence in has hit the capital over the past week, undermining Dr Assad's assertion that the 11-month-old uprising against his rule is limited to the provinces.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had asked authorities and rebels to agree daily ceasefires so life-saving aid can reach civilians in hard-hit areas including Homs.
"It should last at least two hours every day, so that ICRC staff and Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers have enough time to deliver aid and evacuate the wounded and the sick," ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger said.
Western and Arab powers seeking Dr Assad's downfall are preparing for the inaugural meeting of a "Friends of Syria" contact group in Tunisia on Friday.
Russia and China back Dr Assad's own programme for reforms, which includes plans for a referendum on Sunday on a new constitution which would lead to elections in 90 days.
Dr Assad says this should satisfy demands for more democracy; his opponents say the proposals are a sham.
Russia said it would not attend the "Friends of Syria" meeting because the Syrian government would not be represented. The Russian foreign ministry suggested the UN Security Council should send a special humanitarian envoy to Syria.
Russia and China have faced Western and Arab criticism for blocking UN action against Syria. A former Syrian defence ministry auditor who defected in January told Reuters Moscow's arms sales to Damascus - nearly $1 billion last year - had increased since the start of the uprising.
Lebanon, which has tried to distance itself from the turmoil across its border, will also stay away from the Tunis meeting, its foreign minister said.
Reuters