France called on world powers to "save the Syrian people" today as it joined the United States and Britain in raising an alarm that government forces may be about to storm the rebel stronghold of Homs.
In Damascus, the government denied any crackdown, while accusing its opponents of taking up arms and warning the rebels' supporters in the West that Syria could count on Russia, China and others to oppose any foreign intervention in its affairs.
In Homs, a pro-democracy activist said there was no clear sign of a troop build-up other campaigners had reported around the city yesterday. Opposition groups have called for people to stay at home and for businesses to remain closed tomorrow, the first day of the working week in Syria, in what they have called a "Strike for Dignity".
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition website, said 12 people were killed across the country today.
"France is extremely concerned about information of a massive military operation being prepared by Syrian security authorities against the city of Homs," French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said, echoing concerns raised in Washington, London and Turkey.
"France warns the Syrian government and will hold the Syrian authorities responsible for any action against the population. The entire international community must mobilise itself to save the Syrian people," Mr Valero added in a statement.
Yesterday, a US state department spokeswoman said reports of an assault on Homs were “extremely” concerning. "They are not going to be able to hide who's responsible if there is a major assault on the weekend," she said.
Syria rejected the reports. "There is no policy of crackdown," the foreign ministry said. "The Syrian forces are there to protect civilians and maintain law and order that is breached by those who are carrying arms against the State.
"The story of peacefulness of the protest is no longer a valid story in some places," a spokesman said. "Syria needs evolution and not armed confrontation."
Separately, the official Syrian news agency Sana said the so-called Brics group of developing economic powers - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - "reiterated its absolute rejection to any interference in Syrian affairs".
It cited a message from Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin to the United Nations Security Council, which has been the forum for sharp divisions over Syria between the Western powers on the one hand and Russia and China on the other. Such differences, and Syria's pivotal position at the heart of a web of regional conflicts, mean few see much possibility for the kind of Western military action seen this year in Libya.
The Arab League has been pressing Syria, under threat of sanctions, to remove troops from its towns and let in observers. Egypt's Mena news agency said today Arab foreign ministers will meet in Cairo at the end of the week to discuss a response to what it called a conditional Syrian acceptance of monitors.
Turkey warned Syria yesterday it would act to protect itself if the crushing of protest threatened regional security and unleashed a tide of refugees on its borders.
Peaceful demonstrations calling for reform began in Syria in March, inspired by the Arab Spring, but were met almost from the outset by lethal force. Activists say about 4,600 Syrians have been killed, about a quarter of them from security forces.
President Bashar al-Assad says some "mistakes" may have occurred but denies giving any shoot-to-kill order over the past nine months of violent repression, which has prompted defections from the military and led to the creation of a rebel Free Syrian Army.
Reuters