Syrian forces have started Tuesday mass attacks against army defectors and pro-democracy activists in the restive provinces of Homs and Idlib, an army defector by the name of Ahmed Khalaf told dpa by phone, dpa reported.
"We killed seven security forces in an ambush near Idlib and our forces have suffered more than ten fatalities, 20 others were wounded in the ongoing clashes," Khalaf said from the northern Idlib province.
"The regime is carrying out open warfare," he said.