Syria moves to silence rebel protests

Syrian security forces fanned out through villages and towns in the northern province of Idlib yesterday, randomly hauling in males over age 16, as the government worked to clamp down on a centre of anti-regime protest.

In this border region, with thousands of Syrians having fled to havens in Turkey, Turkish officials were preparing to send food, clean water, medicine and other aid to thousands more stranded on the Syrian side.

The unusual plan for a cross-border operation on Syrian soil appeared to have Syrian clearance, being announced by Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu after he met an envoy from Syrian president Bashar Assad's authoritarian regime.

"We have taken precautions and humanitarian aid will be supplied for around 10,000 people who are waiting on the Syrian side of the border," Mr Davutoglu said. He also reiterated Turkey's support for major democratic reform in Syria.

The random detentions were concentrated around the major towns of Jisr al-Shughour and Maaret al-Numan and in nearby villages, an area where the army has massed troops for days in apparent preparation for a fresh military operation, Syrian human rights activist Mustafa Osso reported. He said at least 300 people were being detained daily.