At least 23 Syrian soldiers killed in clashes

BEIRUT – Fierce clashes between Syrian government forces and opposition fighters have left at least 23 soldiers killed in the central Syrian city of Rastan, activists say.

Dozens more were wounded in Monday’s violence, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Three troop carriers were destroyed in fighting, the group said.

If confirmed, the attack would be one of the deadliest suffered by security forces in the 14-month-long uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

It comes after government forces launched a fresh assault on the city at the weekend, despite a UN-backed nominal ceasefire that was supposed to come into effect just over a month ago.

At least 30 people died on Sunday – mainly civilians – as violence surged at flashpoints across the country despite an increase of UN observers.

The figures cannot be verified independently, as journalists’ movements are severely restricted in Syria.

On Sunday, the UN said it had 189 observers on the ground.