More than 100 people are reported to have been killed by the latest
wave of government attacks in Syria, just days before the deadline for
a ceasefire.
Residents in the town of Latamna, in the province of Hama, claimed 40
civilians had died in what they described as a "massacre".
They said government forces had bombarded the town with artillery and gunfire.
Videos posted online showed rows of bodies, shrouded in white cloth,
lined up for burial.
Another video, said to have been filmed in Homs, showed the bloodied
corpses of at least a dozen young men who activists said had been
executed.
Some appeared to have their hands bound.
Attacks by government forces have reportedly intensified in some areas
of the country, including Hama, Homs and Idlib, ahead of the April 10
deadline for the regime to halt the violence and withdraw its troops
from populated areas.
The government of President Bashar al Assad agreed to the ceasefire
brokered by the joint envoy for the UN and the Arab League, Kofi
Annan, but there is little sign of it being implemented.
Under the peace plan, rebel fighters are meant to halt their attacks
within 48 hours of the withdrawal of the regime's forces.
Syrian activists claim the deal is another ruse by Mr Assad, who has
flouted previous agreements to halt the violence that has claimed at
least 9,000 lives over the past year.
Western nations are also sceptical about the regime's intentions.
The UN Security Council has endorsed a statement that includes the
possibility of "further measures" being considered if the government
does not implement the ceasefire.
But Russia and China have refused to back any punitive action -
including sanctions - against the Syrian regime.
At least 2,800 Syrians have fled across the border into Turkey in the
past few days, swelling the number of refugees living the camps to
24,000.
The UN's refugee agency says it is ready to offer assistance to the
Turkish government to deal with the influx.
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