9-Feb-2012 - Homs suffers 'heaviest' shelling

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8 February 2012 Last updated at 09:29 GMT Syria: Homs under 'heaviest' shelling yet The Syrian city of Homs has come under renewed bombardment for the fifth day running - the heaviest so far, residents have told the BBC. Activists say more than 40 people have died as a result of the new shelling, but this is difficult to verify. The attacks come a day after President Bashar al-Assad promised the Russian foreign minister in Damascus that he would end violence and start dialogue. Russia and China blocked a UN Security Council resolution last week. The BBC's Paul Wood, who is now on the outskirts of Homs with rebel fighters, says that his contacts inside the city describe the impacts as falling constantly - and it it too dangerous for them to go out and investigate the number of dead and injured. People in Homs Authentic nfl jerseys fear a ground invasion, he says. A resident of the Baba Amr area of Homs, Omar, told the BBC that the rocket and mortar attacks were indiscriminate. "Every house here in Baba Amr is a target," he said. "You have to be lucky to survive. You have to be lucky to stay alive. "I think five or 10 minutes ago rockets landed in the house next to mine. A little baby... her head exploded because of the pressure of the rockets." The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says Wednesday's death figures must be treated with caution. They apparently include the deaths of 18 premature babies, who died after hospital electricity cuts meant their incubators failed, he says. Nineteen people from three families in Homs were killed by pro-government thugs who burst into their houses and slaughtered them, reports say. Russian visit The Syrian president told the visiting Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, that he was prepared to co-operate with plans for stability. Following the talks in Damascus on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov called for a dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition. Speaking in Pakistan on Wednesday, Mr Lavrov said that the crisis should be resolved by the Syrian people themselves. He called on "all those who have any influence on buy NFL Jerseys the opposition" to encourage opposition groups to take part in a dialogue with the government. Last week Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution that backed a new Arab League plan for Syria. The plan involved Mr Assad handing power to a deputy who would oversee a transition of power. Moscow said the draft would have forced regime change on Syria. Since then, Syria has become increasingly isolated. On Tuesday, Gulf Arab states said they would expel Syrian ambassadors and recall their envoys from Damascus. The US closed its embassy in Syria on Monday, and several European countries have recalled their ambassadors. In Homs, hundreds of people are reported to have died in heavy shelling. The government insists it is confronting "terrorist groups" in the city and will continue until "order" is restored. Continuing violence against protesters has also been reported in other parts of Syria. Activists said tanks bombarded the town of Zabadani, about 30kms (19 miles) north-west of Damascus, on Tuesday. Witnesses also reported clashes between government and rebel forces in Hama, another stronghold of anti-Assad sentiment. Syria heavily restricts access to foreign journalists and the reports cannot be independently verified. Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began last March. The UN stopped estimating the death toll in Syria after it passed 5,400 in January, saying it was too difficult to confirm. President Assad's government says at least 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed. Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions (Required) Name (Required) Your E-mail address (Required) NHL jerseys Town & Country (Required) Your telephone number (Required) Comments If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions. Terms and conditions Send Clear

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