Syrian army 'moves on Jisr al-Shughour'

Earlier in the week, the Syrian government said 120 security personnel were killed in the north-western town.

The announcement, and the positioning of troops in the area, has prompted a flow of refugees to nearby Turkey.

The government has blamed the deaths on armed groups, but there are reports of a mutiny among security forces.

Syrian state TV said armed men were in control of the town and had prepared defences.

The Turkish government says more than 2,000 Syrians have crossed the border seeking refuge from the anticipated crackdown in Jisr al-Shughour.

Uprisings against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad began in mid-March and have swept across much of the country since then.

Syria has prevented foreign journalists, including those from the BBC, from entering the country, making it difficult to verify reports from there.

The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, Lebanon, says the events in Jisr al-Shughour present a massive challenge to President Assad.

The unrest in Syria has prompted a split within the UN Security Council, where France and Britain have proposed a resolution to condemn the government's actions.

But other nations on the council, including Brazil, China and Russia, say such a resolution - which does not propose concrete action - could further inflame tensions in an already volatile region.