More Bloodshed As UN Boss Slams Syria

Syrian forces have continued to fire mortars and rockets into the rebellious city of Homs, as the United Nations chief voices fears of far worse bloodshed to come.

The latest violence continues a week-long campaign that has killed hundreds, as President Bashar al Assad's forces step up their assault on Homs, the centre of Syria's 11-month uprising.

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall spoke to Foreign Secretary William Hague about Britain's ongoing role as the situation escalates, stressing that military intervention was not the current plan - but it had not been ruled out.

"We are intensifying our contacts with opposition groups... mainly outside Syria," he said.

"We have in some other cases helped with communication and with the protection of lives with body armour. But I stress that our contacts have been with the Syrian opposition outside Syria," the Foreign Secretary said.

"Our plans are to intensify diplomatic work... to help with food and medical supplies. There is a lot the UK can do... but we are not engaged with conflict in Syria.

"It is impossible to foresee future circumstances," but at this stage he said, "We are clearly not planning a military intervention in Syria."

He went on to dismiss the possibility of a power vacuum which may follow the president's immediate departure, saying: "Of course it would be beneficial if he went immediately - this minute - nevermind today.

"The best thing for his country would be for him to depart, because so much blood has been spilt on his orders and the orders of his henchmen that I don't think he can ever recover his credibility, with his own country or internationally."

Prime Minister David Cameron also called for Assad to go, saying: "It's quite clear that this is a regime that is hell-bent on killing, murdering, and maiming its own citizens.

"It really is appalling, the scenes of destruction in Homs," he said, going on to call for "transition and change in Syria".

The situation contines to spiral out of control as Libya stepped up its pressure on the Syrian government, announcing its decision to expel Syria's ambassador to the country.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 70 people had been killed today, although it is not possible to verify numbers given the dangerous situation.

"The shells are raining down on us and regime forces are using heavy artillery," doctor Ali Hazuri said, from the Baba Amr district of the city, in which the majority of people have died.

Sky News' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, reporting from outside Homs, said Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters are expecting an imminent change of strategy by regime forces.

"They believe the attack is coming soon, in a pincer movement by security personnel," Ramsay said.

"Huge military offensive expected, families saying goodbye to loved ones," he said on Twitter.

On his way out of the country he later tweeted: "From Homs to the Lebanese border, people are making preparations to die."

"The government is believed to be flooding the area with troops and equipment."

There are reports of at least 40 tanks and 50 infantry fighting vehicles accompanied by 1,000 soldiers being deployed inside Homs.

Sunni neighbourhoods, which have been hit with the heaviest rocket and mortar fire, are now without electricity and water and are running out of basic supplies, according to opposition figures.

Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford, reporting from Idlib province, said regime soldiers continue to defect to the FSA - whose motto is "win or die" - although they lack equipment.

An army lieutenant who defected last week and is now in charge of an FSA unit told Crawford: "They are trying to starve the children by taking away their food and milk."

Crawford added: "Their young faces reveal their inexperience and even their new commander admits they have few weapons."

Meanwhile, as the Syrian National Council meets in Qatar ahead of Sunday's meeting with the Arab League on Sunday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the "appalling brutality" of the Assad regime.

Voicing fears the violence seen in Homs may be spreading to other provinces, the UN boss accused the Syrian government of making "too many broken promises".

He suggested the Arab League and the UN could send a joint observer mission to the country, although diplomats admit this would take very careful preparation.

Mr Ban and the Arab League secretary general Nabil Elaraby discussed potential next steps as the Assad regime continued bombarding the city of Homs.

Mr Ban has bemoaned the Security Council's failure to agree a resolution on the crisis, saying the vote last weekend was "disastrous" for the Syrian people.

Russia and China vetoed the resolution, which called on President Bashar Assad to step down, in a move that opposition groups said gave the leader a "licence to kill".

In his first comments since the veto, the UN chief said: "I deeply regret that the Security Council has been unable to speak with one clear voice to end the bloodshed.

"The failure to do so is disastrous for the people of Syria. It has encouraged the Syrian government to step up its war on its own people. Thousands have been killed in cold blood, shredding President Assad's claims to speak for the Syrian people."

Mr Ban predicted that the government's artillery assault on the protest city of Homs "is a grim harbinger of worse to come".

He said Mr Elaraby had discussed re-starting the Arab League observer mission and had asked for UN help.

"He further suggested that we consider a joint observer mission in Syria, including a joint special envoy," he said.

The UN leader said consultations would be held with the Arab League and UN Security Council members in coming days "before fleshing out the details".

He added: "It is important to take bold and decisive measures. The situation has reached a totally unacceptable stage."

Activist-in-exile Massoud Akko said: "It is not enough to say to this regime 'stop the killings', because it won't listen. We are dealing with a system based on political prostitution.

"The regime is acting as if it is not attacking Homs at all and says the bombardment the whole world is seeing is being done by terrorists."