UN monitors continue tours in Syria's Homs amid ongoing violence

Damascus, May 1 (Xinhua-ANI): The UN observers toured Tuesday a restive neighborhood in Syria's central province of Homs, as part of their monitoring mission that aims at bringing the 13-month-old unrest to a close, state media said, as opposition activists reported heavy shelling in northern Idlib province.

The two-member team, which has stationed in Homs since last week, continued its tours at al-Khalidiyah neighborhood, a scene of armed conflict between government troops and armed rebels.

Currently, 15 UN observers have been deployed in several Syrian cities and the number of UN observers in Syria is to reach 100 by mid-May.

The head of the UN mission Maj. Gen. Robert Mood has recently urged "to help us on a continued cessation of armed violence... together we can make it... we have that choice."

Under the six-point plan brokered by UN-Arab League joint envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, a cease-fire in Syria is to be followed by the deployment of 300 UN observers.

Meanwhile, opposition activists said 11 people were killed Tuesday by mortar shells in the northern province of Idilb.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the incident that allegedly took place in Mishmishan village in Idlib. There has been no confirmation from official media.

If true, the incident would be the fourth such violent event that have occurred within 24 hours. A day earlier, three bombings ripped several areas in Idlib, leaving at least nine people killed, according to state-run SANA news agency.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that at least 12 personnel of the Syrian regular forces were killed Tuesday in clashes with a group of defectors in the area of Al- Busaira in Deir Ezzor.

SANA said Tuesday that two officers were killed Monday in separate ambushes in the suburbs of the capital Damascus.

According to SANA, Brigadier Shaker Taijoun was killed when armed groups attacked his car with explosive on al-Adalieh road near Damascus, while Lieutenant Colonel Hasan Ali was killed by a roadside bomb in the Qudsaiah suburb.

It also reported that as many as 371 wanted people have turned themselves in to the authorities in several Syrian cities. (Xinhua-ANI)