Syrian troops have been accused of using children as human shields and using helicopters to fire on civilians during the ongoing violence in the country.

Army tanks are out in force in flashpoint areas including Homs, Hama and Idlib, as world powers continue to push for a peaceful solution to the conflict.

President Bashar Al-Assad's regime has repeatedly blamed "armed terrorist gangs" for the worst violence, but activists and rights groups tell a different story.

A Human Rights Watch report has accused soldiers of using civilians as human shields by forcing them to walk in front of them as they advance on rebel areas.

The report says children have also been placed on army tanks, presumably to prevent soldiers from coming under fire.

Footage has also emerged that apparently shows a Syrian helicopter using gunfire to attack rebels near the northern city of Azaz.

While it cannot be independently verified, the city, near the Turkish border, has been the focus of heavy clashes between pro-Assad and opposition forces.

Rights groups say at least 50 people have been killed across the country over the past two days.

Some of the worst fighting in recent days has been at Sermin, a small town in northern Idlib.

Locals say around 2,000 Syrian troops backed by scores of tanks spent two days going from house to house, hunting down rebel fighters and opposition supporters.

Residents of one house say soldiers dragged three people onto the street and shot them with machine guns before dousing them with petrol and setting them on fire for everyone to see.

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Meanwhile, there are growing signs that Russia - one of Syria's key allies - is finally losing patience over the year-long bloodshed.

Moscow has offered its support to a United Nations six-point peace plan.

The plan is a watered down version of an earlier resolution that called for Mr Assad to cede power altogether - something Russia would not support.

After meeting UN peace envoy Kofi Annan, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev reaffirmed his support for the new plan.

"This may be the last chance for Syria to avoid a long-lasting and bloody civil war," he said.

Mr Annan is now on his way to China to secure similar backing.

The Syrian crisis was also occupying the minds of foreign leaders arriving in South Korea for a nuclear security summit.

US president Barack Obama and Turkey's prime minister Tayyip Erdogan discussed how the world can support Syria's opposition with non-lethal aid.