'Massacre By Syrian Forces Kills At Least 50'

Forces loyal to Syria's leader have stormed a village in a "massacre" that has left at least 50 people dead, reports say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said President Bashar al Assad's troops and militias raided the coastal village of Baida, killing many with gunfire or knives.

Women and children were among the victims and some bodies were found burned, the group said.

The British-based Observatory said the final toll was expected to exceed 100 dead. It earlier reported fighting around Baida that killed at least six government troops.

The village has previously witnessed mass arrests of men after residents joined protests challenging Mr Assad's regime, according to human rights activists.

The reports emerged as the US confirmed it was taking a fresh look at whether to provide weapons to Syria's rebels, having rejected doing so in the past.

A protest against the Assad regime in Baida in 2011

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said "Yes" when asked at a Pentagon news conference with his British counterpart Philip Hammond whether the US government was rethinking its opposition to the idea.

Mr Hammond said Britain had not yet provided arms, but would not rule it out.

He told Sky News: "We've never removed from the table the possibility of providing lethal support to the opposition forces.

"We haven't done so yet - we've drawn a very clear line - but we've made it clear to the Assad regime that every option remains on the table if they consider to massacre their population.

"The reports coming in of another massacre, if they turn out to be true, will turn out to be yet another shocking chapter in this regime's book."

Asked why the West was not doing more to assist the rebels, Mr Hammond said Britain was "strongly supportive" of the opposition.

He said the disjoined nature of the opposition forces and their extremist elements were "complicated factors", and an international consensus was needed.

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