More than 200 Syrians, mostly civilians have been killed in a village in the rebel dominated region of Hama according to opposition activists.
Residents told activist that helicopter gunships and tanks had bombarded Taramseh, before militiamen stormed the village and executed several civilians.
The regional opposition group said in a statement:
"More than 220 people fell today in Taramseh. They died from bombardment by tanks and helicopters, artillery shelling and summary executions,"
Syrian state television reported that three security personnel had been killed in fighting in Taramseh, where it accused “armed terrorist groups” of committing a massacre.
Fadi Sameh, an opposition activist from Taramseh who had left the village before the incident but was still in touch with the residents said:
"It appears that Alawite militiamen from surrounding villages descended on Taramseh after its rebel defenders pulled out, and started killing the people. Whole houses have been destroyed and burned from the shelling.”
"Every family in the town seems to have members killed. We have names of men, women and children from countless families,"
The Taramseh massacre would be the single worst incidence of violence in the 16 months of conflict in Syria.
