Syrian forces fired mortar shells at a farming village in the country's north, killing at least 10 people, many from the same family, activists say.

Syria's four-day-old ceasefire appears to be quickly eroding, with regime forces firing dozens of tank shells and mortar rounds at neighbourhoods in the opposition stronghold of Homs, hours before the arrival of a first team of UN truce monitors.

Activists say Syrian troops attack a Damascus suburb with mortar shells and machine guns, one day after after special envoy Kofi Annan described the situation in Syria as bleak.