Syria's army sent tanks and troops early Thursday into another two towns as it pursued its crackdown on protests against the authoritarian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, rights activists said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement tanks, troop carriers and buses transporting security force members sped into Saraqeb in northwestern Idlib province around 7.30 am (0430 GMT).

"Shooting was heard soon afterwards in the town, where protests demanding the fall of the regime have been staged every day after the evening (Muslim) prayers," the statement said.

On Wednesday, an AFP journalist saw dozens of soldiers stream out of Ariha in the south of Idlib province, which borders Turkey.

A Syrian military source said the troops were pulling out of Ariha after succeeding in their mission "to hunt down saboteurs and armed groups at the request of Idlib's residents."

Damascus blames "armed terrorist groups" for fomenting a popular uprising in Syria that has been ruthlessly suppressed by the security forces. The crackdown has claimed more than 2,000 lives since mid-March according to rights groups.

Further south, in the central province of Homs, columns of tanks entered Qusayr early on Thursday, a rights activist in the town said, reached by telephone.

"Residents fled into the fields and all communications have been cut with the town," the activist said.

On Wednesday, UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco briefed the 15-member Security Council behind closed doors about events in Syria in the week since the council called for an "immediate" halt to the violence.

Taranco was quoted as saying there had been no letup in the deaths of protesters while UN officials had met Syrian diplomats to try to get accurate information.

Taranco's briefing had been "depressing and chilling," Britain's deputy UN ambassador Philip Parham later told reporters.

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