(VOVWORLD) - The death toll in clashes in Syria's coastal areas in recent days has surpassed 1,300, including 745 civilians, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
These are the bloodiest clashes in Syria since the collapse of the old regime last December.
In response, the Syrian interim government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting national unity and ensuring the safety of the people, and deployed security forces to several regions to restore order. Education Minister Nazir al-Qadri said schools will remain closed on Monday in some provinces due to the unstable security conditions.
Regional media reported that Russia and the US have requested emergency closed-door UN Security Council consultations over violence against civilians in western Syria.