Russia's foreign minister held talks with President Bashar Assad in Damascus as Syrian forces bombarded the city of Homs. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports
By msnbc.com staff and news services
AMMAN -- Bombardment of the Syrian city of Homs by government forces killed at least 47 civilians in?the first eight hours of Wednesday, activists in the city and opposition sources said.
"The regime didn't expect us to continue our struggle against them," activist Karam Abu Rabea told The Guardian newspaper via Skype.? "They didn't think we would persist. So now it is using its last card. It is the genocide card."
"Electricity returned briefly and we were able to contact various neighborhoods because activists there managed to recharge their phones. We counted 47 killed since midnight," activist Mohammad Hassan said by satellite phone, according to Reuters.
The attacks on Homs continued despite Russia winning a promise from Assad to bring an end to bloodshed, while Western and Arab states acted to further isolate Assad following the onslaught on the city, one of the bloodiest of the 11-month uprising.
Armored forces loyal to President Bashar Assad have thrust deeper into the central city of Homs, firing rockets and mortar rounds to subdue opposition districts, activists said, a day after Russia said Assad wants peace.
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Tanks entered the Inshaat neighborhood and moved closer to Bab Amro district, which has been the target of the heaviest barrages by loyalist troops that have killed at least 100 civilians in the last two days, activists said.
"Tanks are now at Qubab mosque and soldiers have entered Hikmeh hospital in Inshaat. They also moved closer to Bab Amro and shelling is being heard on Karm al-Zeitoun and al-Bayada," activist Mohammad al-Hassan said by satellite phone from Homs.
"Communications have been cut in many parts of Homs and it is difficult to put together an overall picture. But tanks are in main thoroughfares in the city and appear poised to push deep into residential areas," he added.
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The official state news agency said "armed terrorist groups" attacked police roadblocks in Homs and fired mortar bombs at the city, with three falling on the Homs oil refinery, one of two in the country. It gave no details of any damage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday during his visit to Syria that both countries wanted to revive a monitoring effort by the Arab League, whose plan to resolve Syria's crisis was vetoed by Moscow and Beijing in the U.N. Security Council.
Lavrov -- whose government wields unique leverage as a major arms supplier with longstanding political ties to Damascus, and maintains a naval facility on its coast -- told Assad that peace was in Russia's interests.
Msnbc.com staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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