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Syria crisis: Fresh Hama shelling at start of Ramadan Syria crisis: More dead as crackdown continues
(about 2 hours later)
Syrian security forces have fired shells in the city of Hama, as prayers ended on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. There have been fresh outbreaks of violence in Syria as army forces moved against anti-government protesters.
Rights groups say around 130 people have been killed by the authorities since Sunday, most of them in Hama. Overnight, six people were killed in the Erbin district of the capital Damascus as they staged protests after prayers on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The city has been largely controlled by opponents of President Bashar al-Assad since June. Fresh violence is also being reported in the capital Damascus. Earlier, four were killed in Hama, where scores died on Sunday, one of the bloodiest days of the uprising so far.
The UN Security Council discussed the Syrian crisis late on Monday. The UN Security Council is set to resume discussions on the crisis.
The US and Europe are pushing for strong condemnation of the violence, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying the international community should "come together behind the people of Syria in this critical time". Russia has until now resisted agreeing to a resolution condemning the violence, but has indicated that it would back a lesser statement.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, says tanks and troops returned to the streets of Hama on Monday, after pulling out following Sunday's violence. Rights groups say around 140 people have been killed by the authorities since Sunday, most of them in Hama.
The Syrian government has promised reforms but says citizens and its troops are being attacked by "armed gangs" backed by unspecified foreign powers.
Syrians start fasting for the month of Ramadan more concerned and uncertain than ever about what will happen next. Syrians start fasting for the month of Ramadan more concerned and uncertain than ever about what will happen next. 
If the assault on Hama on Sunday was meant to scare protesters off the streets, it has not succeeded.If the assault on Hama on Sunday was meant to scare protesters off the streets, it has not succeeded.
The two sides in this crisis seem to be determined to continue with their strategies; protesters will keep on taking to the streets and the regime will continue to use violence against them.The two sides in this crisis seem to be determined to continue with their strategies; protesters will keep on taking to the streets and the regime will continue to use violence against them.
In the current pattern, it is difficult to imagine any solution unless there is an end to government violence.In the current pattern, it is difficult to imagine any solution unless there is an end to government violence.
Witnesses said the tanks and troops opened fire in the streets as people took part in evening prayers on the first night of Ramadan, when Muslims fast in daylight hours. International journalists have been denied access to Syria and it is not possible to verify accounts by witnesses and activists.
"The shells are falling once every 10 seconds," one witness told Reuters by telephone. Machine guns
Another activist in the city told AFP news agency that 10 tanks were "indiscriminately" shelling the suburb of Dawar Bilal. In all, 24 people were killed across Syria on Monday, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, according to AFP news agency, though he did not give details of each case.
'Hospital hit' Six people were killed in the Erbin district of the capital Damascus early on Tuesday, residents and rights groups said.
Six people were killed in the Erbin district of the capital Damascus late on Monday, as they staged protests after prayers, Reuters news agency reported. "Security cars and pick-up trucks with machine guns mounted on their beds entered Erbin around midnight and assembled at the main roundabout before branching out in the streets and firing at neighbourhoods," one resident told Reuters news agency.
"Security cars and pick-up trucks with machine guns mounted on their beds entered Erbin around midnight and assembled at the main roundabout before branching out in the streets and firing at neighbourhoods," one resident told the news agency.
Another activist said tens of people had been wounded.Another activist said tens of people had been wounded.
Scores of people were killed on Sunday in one of the bloodiest days since the uprising against Mr Assad began in mid-March. Earlier tanks and troops returned to the streets of Hama on Monday, after pulling out following Sunday's violence, said the BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon.
At least four people were killed on Monday, witnesses and rights groups said.
Residents said a hospital was among the buildings coming under attack.Residents said a hospital was among the buildings coming under attack.
There are reports that some families in the city have buried their dead in parks or in the gardens of their own homes because they are afraid to go out.There are reports that some families in the city have buried their dead in parks or in the gardens of their own homes because they are afraid to go out.
International journalists have been denied access to Syria and it is not possible to verify accounts by witnesses and activists. Another activist in the city told AFP news agency that 10 tanks were "indiscriminately" shelling the suburb of Dawar Bilal.
Government attempts to crush continuing protests across Syria have brought strong international condemnation, with Germany and Italy calling an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday. Germany is currently a member of the council. In other developments:
Some council members including Russia and China have so far opposed a draft resolution condemning Damascus, although Moscow has called for an end to "repressions" in Syria.
  • Two people, one a 13-year-old boy, were shot dead by security forces in the eastern town of Albu Kamal, Mr Rahman told AFP. The deaths came as tanks were said to have stormed the town following a two-week siege.
    •
  • Government forces also moved in on Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon, with one report suggesting barricades had been erected to seal the town off
    •
  • Reinforcements were also dispatched to Deir al-Zor, another rallying point for protesters. Residents reportedly said 29 people had been killed in a weekend assault on the town.
    •
In a statement, Mrs Clinton called on those still opposing official condemnation to "reconsider their positions". Government attempts to crush continuing protests across Syria have brought strong international condemnation and the UN Security Council is set to meet again on Tuesday to continue discussions on its response to the crisis.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the timing of the Hama assault during Ramadan sent "a very wrong signal, to the Syrian people to the Muslim world and to the global community". UN response
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged the UN Security Council to take a "clear stand on the need to end the violence", and has announced further EU sanctions against members of the Syrian regime. At a closed-door meeting of the council on Monday, a top UN official told delegates that on top of those killed on Sunday, 3,000 people had gone missing and 12,000 been taken prisoner since the anti-regime protests erupted in mid-March, diplomats said.
The Syrian government has promised reforms but says its troops are being attacked by "armed gangs" who are backed by unspecified foreign powers. Some council members including Russia have so far opposed a draft resolution condemning Damascus, proposing instead a less binding statement.
On Monday, Mr Assad praised the military for "foiling the enemies" of the state, the official news agency reported. On Monday Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin explained that stance, reportedly saying: "We are still under the shadow of events in Libya where we found a resolution adopted by the Security Council dealt with very frivolously, and we cannot but keep that in mind as we contemplate what the Security Council can and cannot do on Syria."
Mr Churkin said he would favour a statement, "which would be seen as a strong signal to end violence but also to come to terms politically and to move things forward peacefully in Syria."
But US Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters that citing the Libyan situation was "an excuse by those who don't want to confront what's happening in Syria".
Despite the differences, India's UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri said he detected "a certain convergence of thinking... about the escalating violence".
On Monday, the European Union expanded sanctions against Syria, imposing asset freezes and travel bans against five more military and government officials, bringing the total number of individuals targeted to 35, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria's anti-government protests, inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt, first erupted in mid-March after the arrest of a group of teenagers who spray-painted a revolutionary slogan on a wall. The protests soon spread, and human rights activists and opposition groups say 1,700 people have died in the turmoil, while thousands more have been injured.
Although the arrest of the teenagers in the southern city of Deraa first prompted people to take to the streets, unrest has since spread to other areas, including Hama, Homs, Latakia, Jisr al-Shughour and Baniyas. Demonstrators are demanding greater freedom, an end to corruption, and, increasingly, the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.
President Assad's government has responded to the protests with overwhelming military force, sending tanks and troops into at least nine towns and cities. In Deraa and Homs - where protests have persisted
Syria's anti-government protests, inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt, first erupted in mid-March after the arrest of a group of teenagers who spray-painted a revolutionary slogan on a wall. The protests soon spread, and human rights activists and opposition groups say 1,700 people have died in the turmoil, while thousands more have been injured.
Although the arrest of the teenagers in the southern city of Deraa first prompted people to take to the streets, unrest has since spread to other areas, including Hama, Homs, Latakia, Jisr al-Shughour and Baniyas. Demonstrators are demanding greater freedom, an end to corruption, and, increasingly, the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.
President Assad's government has responded to the protests with overwhelming military force, sending tanks and troops into at least nine towns and cities. In Deraa and Homs - where protests have persisted