Syria has started moving chemical weapons materials out of the country as part of the disarmament programme, which has faced technical problems.

Rebel forces have attacked Damascus while Turkey deployed anti-aircraft rocket launchers to the Syrian border, building pressure on Bashar al-Assad.

UN monitors say the smell of burnt flesh hung in the air and body parts lay scattered around the deserted Syrian hamlet of Mazraat al-Qubeir.

Syria has told Arab League envoy Kofi Annan that it has begun pulling troops in line with a peace plan accepted by President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian government kept up its onslaught on Homs and other towns, with at least 100 killed according to human rights campaigners.

Syria will hold a referendum on a draft Constitution on February 26 that limits the presidency to two seven-year terms and allows multiple parties.

Syrian government forces have attacked President Bashar al-Assad opponents on several fronts, sending residents fleeing from a town near the capital.

Syrian forces have bombarded districts of Homs and struck other cities after Arab states pledged support for the opposition battling Bashar al-Assad.

Frustrated with the Arab League’s lack of progress, the head of the Free Syrian Army has threatened to step up attacks on Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

Arab peace monitors will visit the Syrian city of Homs, which opponents of President Bashar al-Assad say has been pulverised by government troops.

Rockets hit a protest camp in Yemen’s capital Sana’a, killing at least two people on Tuesday, witnesses said.

A possible US shift calling for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to be eased out may signal that his days in office are numbered.