More than 50 people have been killed in Syria in separate attacks by government forces.
Opposition activists said that at least 42 protesters died when the army stormed the north-eastern city of Deir al-Zour. Up to 13 other people were killed in Homs province.
The Arab League has expressed concern and called on the Syrian authorities to stop the violence against anti-government protesters immediately.
The US envoy to Damascus, Robert Ford, who returned to Syria on Thursday, also said in a US television interview that Washington will ‘try to ratchet up the pressure’ on President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Mr Ford, who infuriated the Syrian authorities with a visit to the flashpoint protest city of Hama last month, also told ABC news that the violence against protesters was ‘grotesque’ and ‘abhorrent’.
But Mr Al-Assad has roundly defended his security forces.
‘To deal with outlaws who cut off roads, seal towns and terrorise residents is a duty of the state which must defend security and protect the lives of civilians,’ state news agency SANA quoted him as saying.
Deep concern
The latest bloodshed came as Pope Benedict XVI said he was ‘following with deep concern the dramatic and increasing episodes of violence in Syria that have led to numerous victims and grave suffering’.
The Pope called for an adequate response to the ‘legitimate aspirations’ of the Syrian people.
The Arab League also made its first official statement on the unrest, calling on Damascus to ‘immediately’ stop the violence that has rocked the country since mid-March.
Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi also urged an ‘impartial probe’ into the bloodshed, warning against ‘chaos’ and ‘religious strife’ in Syria.
