Russian envoy heads to Syria

By Mark Fordham

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has travelled to Syria for talks with the country's president Bashar al-Assad following an upsurge in violence in the city of Homs.

Government forces have been firing artillery into the rebel stronghold of Homs since last week and at least 95 people are known to have died on Monday (February 6th) alone.

Homs activist Mohammed al-Hassan was reported as telling Reuters news agency that Tuesday's bombardment had mostly been concentrated on the Baba Amr district and all forms of communication with the neighbourhood have now been cut.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland hoped Mr Lavrov would "use this opportunity to make absolutely clear to the Assad regime how isolated it is and to encourage Assad and his people to make use of the Arab League plan and provide for a transition".

Lavrov's visit comes just days after Russia and China vetoed a western-backed UN resolution criticising the crackdown in Syria.