Syria Threatens Assault on Town

BBC News reports:

The northern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour is bracing for an assault by the military after the government said 120 security forces personnel had been killed there by "armed gangs".

The government says it will act "with force" to restore control.

Activists say the source of the violence is unclear, possibly involving a military mutiny.

Residents have posted messages on Facebook saying they fear a slaughter and appealing for help from outside.

Activists insist the uprising against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is peaceful and scorn the government's talk of armed gangs.

Dozens of Syrians who crossed the northern border into Turkey are being treated in hospitals in the south-east of the country for wounds they say they received in clashes with Syrian forces, Turkish officials say.

One man who crossed the border in a serious condition died from gunshot wounds, a Turkish diplomat has told the AFP news agency.

Communications were cut to the area around Jisr al-Shughour on Monday and the details of the attack were impossible to verify. Syria does not allow foreign journalists to report on events.

But Syrian state television said hundreds of gunmen had taken over Jisr al-Shughour, which lies about 20km (12 miles) from the Turkish border.

It said "armed gangs" ambushed police and 20 officers died. It said another 82 personnel were killed when the town's security headquarters were overwhelmed, eight in a bomb attack on a post office and 120 overall.

Opposition activists said there had been fighting but the situation was unclear and they feared the government was simply setting the stage for a new onslaught.

One told the Associated Press news agency that dozens of people had been killed in the past 24 hours - "a mix of civilians, police and security forces".

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says some activist websites have suggested dissent within the security forces, even a mutiny.