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The Syrian Revolution 2011, a Facebook group spurring anti-regime protests, appealed to the army to protect civilians against regime agents.
"Thirteen military vehicles are heading to Jisr al-Shughur," where the alleged massacre took place and which has been the focus of military operations since Saturday, an activist in the town told AFP by telephone.
State television said on Monday the policemen were killed by "armed gangs" who were "committing a real massacre," had "mutilated bodies and thrown others into the Assi river," and burnt public buildings.
It said a total of 120 police were killed, including 80 at Jisr al-Shughur's security headquarters, without specifying when.
But two activists who spoke by telephone to AFP in Nicosia spoke of a mutiny at a local security headquarters on Monday, where shooting was heard the day before.
A statement on Facebook -- signed "residents of Jisr al-Shughur" -- also said "the deaths among soldiers and police were the consequence of defections in the army" and denied state media claims of armed gangs in their region.
Syria's Al-Watan newspaper said a "security operation" will be launched in Jisr al-Shughur after Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar warned that the authorities would hit back.
"The state will act firmly, with force and in line with the law. It will not stay arms folded in the face of armed attacks on the security of the homeland," Shaar said on Monday.
The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, in a statement issued in London, said that opposition to Assad was peaceful, and accused his regime of looking for a pretext to justify more repression and murders.
"We assure international, Arab and national opinion that the Syrian revolution is both peaceful and countrywide," Brotherhood spokesman Zuheir Salem said.
"Comments by the interior minister about the presence of armed groups terrorising the population of Jisr al-Shughur are a pretext to justify greater repression and murders of innocent citizens," he said.
"The only murderers on Syrian soil are the gangs of the security services."
Jisr al-Shughur was a stronghold of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s and borders Turkey.
Foreign journalists are barred from travelling around Syria, making it difficult to report on the unrest and verify government and witness accounts of the violence.
Assad has responded to the opposition movement by lifting emergency laws, creating a commission on political parties and granting a general amnesty, but security forces continue to pound protest hubs.
"Our revolution is peaceful, we want freedom, dignity and life. We do not endorse any foreign party or organisation," the Syrian Revolution 2011 Facebook group wrote.
"We do not call to battle and refuse to bear arms against our brothers in the Syrian army. We call on them to protect us and defend us against the shootings by agents" of the regime.
Syria's opposition movement keeps swelling despite the regime's repressive measures which have left more than 1,100 people dead, according to rights groups, and sparked worldwide condemnation and sanctions against key regime figures, including Assad.
Western powers are cranking up moves for a UN Security Council vote condemning Syria's crackdown, despite strong opposition from Russia and China.
France, Britain and the United States are considering pressing for a vote by the 15-member Security Council on a resolution that could embarrass Russia and China by forcing them into a veto.
"The repression is getting worse, the massacres are on the rise. It is inconceivable that the United Nations remains silent about such a situation," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said at UN headquarters on Tuesday.
In Paris, Syrian ambassador Lamia Shakkour resigned, saying she recognised "the legitimacy of the people's demands," in a statement to France 24 television.
"I cannot support the cycle of violence... ignore that demonstrators have died, that families live in pain," Shakkour said.
"I've informed the private secretary of President Bashar al-Assad of my intention to resign," she said. "I recognise the legitimacy of the people's demands for more democracy and freedom."
However, Syrian state television broadcast a denial by a woman it said was Shakkour speaking by telephone from Paris.
The caller threatened to sue France 24, and said the resignation story was part of a disinformation campaign against Syria.
The website of Dubai-based Al-Arabiya also said Shakkour had contacted the channel to deny she had quit.
"In a call to Al-Arabiya, an angry Shakkour said she had not spoken to any station and said she would sue the French channel," Al-Arabiya said.
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"Thirteen military vehicles are heading to Jisr al-Shughur," where the alleged massacre took place and which has been the focus of military operations since Saturday, an activist in the town told AFP by telephone.
State television said on Monday the policemen were killed by "armed gangs" who were "committing a real massacre," had "mutilated bodies and thrown others into the Assi river," and burnt public buildings.
It said a total of 120 police were killed, including 80 at Jisr al-Shughur's security headquarters, without specifying when.
But two activists who spoke by telephone to AFP in Nicosia spoke of a mutiny at a local security headquarters on Monday, where shooting was heard the day before.
A statement on Facebook -- signed "residents of Jisr al-Shughur" -- also said "the deaths among soldiers and police were the consequence of defections in the army" and denied state media claims of armed gangs in their region.
Syria's Al-Watan newspaper said a "security operation" will be launched in Jisr al-Shughur after Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar warned that the authorities would hit back.
"The state will act firmly, with force and in line with the law. It will not stay arms folded in the face of armed attacks on the security of the homeland," Shaar said on Monday.
The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, in a statement issued in London, said that opposition to Assad was peaceful, and accused his regime of looking for a pretext to justify more repression and murders.
"We assure international, Arab and national opinion that the Syrian revolution is both peaceful and countrywide," Brotherhood spokesman Zuheir Salem said.
"Comments by the interior minister about the presence of armed groups terrorising the population of Jisr al-Shughur are a pretext to justify greater repression and murders of innocent citizens," he said.
"The only murderers on Syrian soil are the gangs of the security services."
Jisr al-Shughur was a stronghold of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s and borders Turkey.
Foreign journalists are barred from travelling around Syria, making it difficult to report on the unrest and verify government and witness accounts of the violence.
Assad has responded to the opposition movement by lifting emergency laws, creating a commission on political parties and granting a general amnesty, but security forces continue to pound protest hubs.
"Our revolution is peaceful, we want freedom, dignity and life. We do not endorse any foreign party or organisation," the Syrian Revolution 2011 Facebook group wrote.
"We do not call to battle and refuse to bear arms against our brothers in the Syrian army. We call on them to protect us and defend us against the shootings by agents" of the regime.
Syria's opposition movement keeps swelling despite the regime's repressive measures which have left more than 1,100 people dead, according to rights groups, and sparked worldwide condemnation and sanctions against key regime figures, including Assad.
Western powers are cranking up moves for a UN Security Council vote condemning Syria's crackdown, despite strong opposition from Russia and China.
France, Britain and the United States are considering pressing for a vote by the 15-member Security Council on a resolution that could embarrass Russia and China by forcing them into a veto.
"The repression is getting worse, the massacres are on the rise. It is inconceivable that the United Nations remains silent about such a situation," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said at UN headquarters on Tuesday.
In Paris, Syrian ambassador Lamia Shakkour resigned, saying she recognised "the legitimacy of the people's demands," in a statement to France 24 television.
"I cannot support the cycle of violence... ignore that demonstrators have died, that families live in pain," Shakkour said.
"I've informed the private secretary of President Bashar al-Assad of my intention to resign," she said. "I recognise the legitimacy of the people's demands for more democracy and freedom."
However, Syrian state television broadcast a denial by a woman it said was Shakkour speaking by telephone from Paris.
The caller threatened to sue France 24, and said the resignation story was part of a disinformation campaign against Syria.
The website of Dubai-based Al-Arabiya also said Shakkour had contacted the channel to deny she had quit.
"In a call to Al-Arabiya, an angry Shakkour said she had not spoken to any station and said she would sue the French channel," Al-Arabiya said.
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