REUTERS

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron.

The Syrian army tightened its bloody grip on the rebel city of Homs yesterday as Britain and other key nations moved to force out President Assad.

Rebel leaders claimed 19 people were killed in a fourth day of shelling and heavy machine gun fire.

The siege has led to the death of more than 300 people and residents say they are being starved of food and water while snipers line exit routes and Russian-made tanks circle the city.

Last night there were reports of an army offensive in the southern city of Derra, where the uprising against Assad’s regime began last year.

Assad is coming under ever more pressure internationally to end the violence in which more than 5 000 people have died in 11 months.

Yesterday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov travelled to Damascus in an attempt to get the Syrian leader to strike a peace deal.

Mr Lavrov, who is one of Syria’s few remaining allies and was given a hero’s welcome by crowds in the capital, said he had received assurances from President Assad that the Syrian leader was “completely committed to the task of stopping violence regardless of where it may come from”.

He added: “President Assad will meet in the coming days with the commission that prepared a draft of the new constitution. The work is finished, and now a date will be announced for a referendum on this important document for Syria”.

Mr Lavrov appeared to be attempting to save some diplomatic face after infuriating Arab countries and the West by vetoing a UN Security Council resolution condemning the violence at the weekend.

But his claims seemed empty last night as the intensive shelling of Homs continued.

No 10 said Syria’s government must be judged by its ‘savage’ actions, not its words.

A spokesman said: “Reports that President Assad is ready to talk to all the political forces in Syria to end the violence and set a date for a referendum for a new constitution stand in stark contrast to the actions they are taking and their savage attempt to crush the peaceful protests in Homs”.

Britain re-affirmed that it would help rebels, but ruled out providing arms.

After a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by David Cameron, Britain approved a three-pronged approach to forcing a change in leadership:

- British officials will help opposition leaders draw up plans for the future of their country and spin doctors would show them how to win over the Syrian people.

- The PM vowed to back fresh EU sanctions to freeze the assets of key regime figures and ban them from travelling.

- He also backed Arab League efforts to get Assad to hand over power to a national unity government before elections.

Last night Gulf Arab states, France and Italy pulled out their ambassadors, following the lead of the US and UK.

Efforts to help the Syrian opposition will gather pace at a contact group meeting being planned for the next few weeks which will bring together a ‘coalition of the willing’ of countries who want to help.

However, President Assad’s British-wife has publicly backed his actions. Asma, 36, emailed The Times after being criticised for apparently standing by as thousands died. - Daily Mail