BEIRUT - Syrian forces unleashed a barrage of mortars and artillery on the battered city of Homs for hours before dawn on Saturday, sending terrified residents fleeing into basements and killing more than 200 people in what appeared to be the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising, activists said.
The government denied the assault. It said the reports are part of a "hysterical campaign" of incitement by armed groups against Syria, meant to be exploited at the U.N. Security Council as it prepares to vote on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar Assad to give up power.
With Syria growing increasingly chaotic, Western and Arab countries have stepped up their push for a U.N. resolution to pressure Assad. A vote was scheduled for Saturday, but negotiations were continuing to the last minute as Russia, a strong ally of Syria, signaled it would veto any call for a political transition in the country.
In a blunt warning to Washington, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday that if a resolution is put to a vote without taking Russia's opinion into account it will only lead to "another scandal" at the Security Council. AP