Newsnight reports from inside Syria
Human rights activists say six people were killed in the Syrian city of Homs on Monday by pro-government militia.
The United Nations estimates that more than 5,000 people have been killed in Syria since protests began last year against the rule of President Assad.
Homs has seen some of the worst violence. Tim Whewell, is one of the few western journalists to go there since the uprising began in March.
He had to operate under some of the regime's restrictions.