Fresh clashes in Syria as ceasefire deadline looms

Syrian troops have fired across borders and shelled villages as diplomatic efforts continue for the implementation of a UN-brokered peace plan amid the expiry of the first phase's deadline.

The plan's author, international envoy Kofi Annan, is due to visit Turkey and Iran on Tuesday, while Russia hosts the Syrian foreign minister

Shelling was reported in Homs early on Tuesday, and there were clashes on the Turkish and Lebanese border overnight.

More than 100 people were killed on Monday, many of them civilians.

The Syrian government must withdraw troops and heavy weapons such as tanks from towns, cities and villages by 10 April. A ceasefire must then be implemented on the ground with the onus on the opposition to follow the government's lead. All forms of violence must be stopped on all sides by 12 April and all parties are to hold talks to reach a political solution.

The Syrian regime had agreed to the deadline but is demanding written guarantees its opponents will give up arms before ending its military action.

"April 10 has become void," Naci Koru, Turkey's deputy foreign minister, said as his country deplored the cross-border shooting that wounded five people in a refugee camp inside Turkey, in the border area which Annan is expected to visit on Tuesday.

Turkey has seen a sharp rise in the number of refugees coming over the border in the past week, and now hosts some 24,000 Syrians, including hundreds of army defectors.

Washington said late on Monday there were "no signs yet of the Assad regime abiding by its commitments."

Activists in Syria reported that government troops had been shelling the western city of Homs since early on Tuesday morning, while military activity was reported from other areas.

Separately, a Lebanese cameraman was shot dead on Lebanon's northern border with Syria.

After previously agreeing to Annan's plan, on Sunday Assad's government called for written guarantees from rebel fighters to end attacks and a promise from foreign states not to fund them.

It said it did not want the rebels to exploit any troop withdrawal to reorganise and rearm themselves.

The Free Syrian Army, the main armed rebel group, said although it backed the truce, it refused to meet the government's new demands.

The UN says more than 9,000 people have been killed in the uprising against Mr Assad's rule which began more than a year ago.

The Syrian government says 2,000 security personnel have been killed in the uprising and blames the violence on "armed gangs" and "terrorists."