The Syrian opposition warned on Saturday of a looming massacre in the central city of Homs, which it said is besieged by 30,000 troops and pro-regime militiamen.

"Regime forces are escalating their shelling of the city of Homs in an unprecedented way," said the Syrian National Council, adding troops were "getting ready to carry out a savage attack that might massacre the city's remaining residents."

The SNC had contacted members of the so-called Friends of Syria group, asking them to "stop the massacre that is being prepared," said the statement from the exiled opposition bloc.

It asked the United Nations Security Council to "protect Homs and other areas of Syria that are targeted" by regime forces.

The SNC also "warned the UN and members of the Security Council of the dangers of remaining silent and of the lack of coercive measures while genocide and crimes against humanity are being committed."

The regime, it added, was "taking advantage of the international divide" over the Syria crisis, and was getting "the time it wants" in order to stamp out the revolt that broke out in March last year.

Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 1,000 families were trapped in several neighbourhoods of Homs and under bombardment by regime forces on Saturday.

[Source: AFP]