Syrian troops within miles of refugee escape route to Turkey - The Guardian

Pro-government militia Shabiha appear to stab an anti-regime protester inside a mosque in Damascas while security forces are seen beating a demonstrator at a pro-Assad rally Link to this video

Syrian troops have advanced to within several miles of the crossing point into Turkey used by the majority of fleeing citizens, forcing more panicked refugees to rush across the border.

Syrian patrols could be seen gathering on a mountain ridge overlooking the small hamlet of Guvecci in Turkey's south-west. Refugees had been using orchards and olive groves in the valley below as a staging point after a 12-mile journey from the town of Jisr al-Shughour, which was besieged by the Syrian army a fortnight ago.

For the past week the valley has resembled a shanty town, with more than 5,000 people camped out – many not yet sure whether to cross into the safe haven of a Turkish refugee camp or stay behind to protect what little possessions they are carrying.

The intensified army activity was thought to relate to a sweep through a nearby village, Khirbet al-Jouz, at the entrance to which tanks and jeeps could be seen massing late on Thursday night. The troops entered just after dawn, the echoes from their machine gunfire resounding over nearby mountains.

Turkey is hosting around 11,000 Syrian refugees who have fled a series of fierce crackdowns across the volatile border. Around 600 are believed to have crossed into Turkey yesterday.

Reports from the scene said Turkish units retreated about 100m from forward positions along parts of the border and raised flags identifying new positions to avoid the possibility of conflict with the Syrian military.

Diplomatic tensions have been increasing between Damascus and Ankara, with Turkey openly saying Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's continued violent suppression of demonstrators is testing its patience.

The latest military activity marked the first time in the fortnight since refugees started flooding into Turkey that tensions were played out along the dangerous border zone.

Meanwhile, anti-government activists' calls for a general strike to mark 100 days since the Syrian uprising began have met with mixed success. Shops were closed and demonstrations held in protest hubs such as Homs, Hama, Dera'a, Douma, Deir Ezzor as well as some areas of Banias, Latakia and Qamischli.

However the capital, Damascus, and the main commercial hub, Aleppo, remained open for business and largely free of public protest. Activists are again planning for a day of dissent across the country on Friday. The first day of the weekend in Syria has been the most violent day of each of the past 14 weeks. Demonstrations have typically started following Friday prayers and security forces have been determined to deny them momentum, often opening fire against unarmed civilians.

The European Union has this week adopted new sanctions against Assad and key regime figures. The Syrian president has pledged to table reforms including new electoral laws that may open the way for multi-party ballots. However he has not offered a timetable.

• Nidaa Hassan is the pseudonym of a journalist working in Damascus