Syrian government forces and rebels battle outside city of Hama

On Tuesday, the SOHR reported that there had been “major displacement” from Hama, which is home to about 1 million people, after the rebels reached the city’s outskirts and several civilians were injured by their shellfire.

Wassim, a delivery driver who lives in the city, told AFP news agency: “The sounds were really terrifying, and the continuous bombing could be clearly heard”.

But he added: “I’ll stay home because I have nowhere else to flee to.”

The SOHR has said that more than 600 people have been killed, including 107 civilians, and tens of thousands have been displaced since the start of the rebel offensive last Wednesday.

The United Nations has expressed alarm at the sudden escalation of Syria’s devastating, 13-year civil war and warned that the situation is “extremely fluid and dangerous”.

“If we do not see de-escalation and a rapid move to a serious political process, involving the Syrian parties and the key international players, then I fear we will see a deepening of the crisis,” special envoy Geir Pedersen told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

“Syria will be in grave danger of further division, deterioration, and destruction.”