BBC News with Gaenor Howells
Syrian state television is reporting the deaths of at least 120 security personnel in a series of battles with hundreds of gunmen in the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour. There have been no independent or Syrian opposition reports from the town, which is close to the Turkish border. Western journalists are
barred from
Syria. Jim Muir sent this report from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon.
In a dramatic series of urgent flashes, Syrian state TV said hundreds of gunmen who took over the town of Jisr al-Shughour had
commit
ted what it called "a real massacre". It said there were massive casualties when the security headquarters was
overwhelm
ed; others died when security forces were ambushed on their way to
reinforce
the town. Many government buildings were attacked and burnt with further casualties. If the government's account is true, it's by far the biggest number of security forces killed in any single incident since the uprising began in March.
The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has repeated that the United States believes there should be an immediate transition of power in Yemen away from President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Mr Saleh is at present in Saudi Arabia, being treated for injuries after his compound in Sanaa was attacked on Friday. At a news conference in Washington, Mrs Clinton said the departure of President Saleh would benefit the Yemeni people.