Syrian forces renew assault on Homs, activists say

BEIRUT – Activists say Syrian forces have renewed their deadly, weeklong assault on Homs in the heaviest bombardment the city has seen since the country's uprising began in March.

Hundreds of people have been reported killed since last Friday in a steady rain of rockets, mortars and machine-gun fire.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 12 people were killed Thursday morning but an exact death toll couldn't immediately be determined because of the chaos in the city.

President Bashar Assad's regime is trying to crush pockets of dissent in the city of 1 million people. Many areas have been under the control of army defectors who want to bring down the regime by force.