SYRIAN troops launched a ground attack in Homs yesterday in an apparent attempt to overrun the rebel-held Baba Amro neighbourhood that has endured 25 days of siege and fierce bombardment, opposition sources said.
"The army is trying to go in with infantry from the direction of al Bassel football field and fierce confrontations with automatic rifles and heavy machineguns are taking place there," activist Mohammad al Homsi said from Homs.
He said the military had shelled Baba Amro heavily on Tuesday and overnight before the ground attack started.
Several Western journalists were yesterday trapped in the battered district, although Syrian activists escorted British photographer Paul Conroy to safety in nearby Lebanon on Tuesday in a messy escape in which some of his rescuers were killed.
Reports from Baba Amro could not immediately be verified due to tight Government restrictions on media work in Syria, where President Bashar al Assad is struggling to repress an almost year-long uprising against his 11-year rule.
Activists say hundreds of civilians have been killed in besieged opposition districts of Homs, including at least 20 on Tuesday. Shells and rockets have been crashing into Baba Amro since February 4. Army snipers pick off civilians who venture out.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and its local partner, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, have been pushing for a ceasefire to enable them to extricate wounded civilians and bring in desperately needed supplies of food and medicine.
The United Nations says Mr Assad's security forces have killed more than 7500 civilians since the revolt began last March.
"There are credible reports the death toll now often exceeds 100 civilians a day, including many women and children," UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs Lynn Pascoe told the UN Security Council. "The total killed so far is certainly well over 7500 people."
Syria's Government said in December "armed terrorists" had killed more than 2000 soldiers and police during the unrest.
As world dismay grew over the bloodshed, France said the Secur-ity Council was working on a new Syria resolution and urged Russia and China not to veto it, as they have previous drafts.
An outline drafted by Washington focused on humanitarian problems to try to win Chinese and Russian support and isolate President Assad, Western envoys said.
However, they said the draft would also suggest Mr Assad was to blame for the crisis, a stance his longtime ally Russia in particular has opposed.
Asked by a US senator whether President Assad could be called a war criminal, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a Senate hearing: "There would be an argument to be made that he would fit into that category."
She added, however, using such labels "limits options to persuade leaders to step down from power".
Russia and China vetoed a draft resolution on February 4 that would have backed an Arab League call for Mr Assad to step down. China indicated a possible shift late on Tuesday when it told the head of the Arab League it supported international efforts to send humanitarian aid to Syria.
However, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also urged political dialogue in Syria, something ruled out by Mr Assad's opponents while the bloodshed goes on, and Russia has warned against interference in Syria under a humanitarian guise.
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