Activists in Syria are reporting what has been described as a “terrifying massacre” in the city of Homs. Witnesses say more than 30 people, including small children, were killed in an attack by the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. The reported killings come as the uprising against Assad has moved closer to the capital Damascus. On Thursday, rebel fighters clashed with government forces in the town of Douma, just north of the capital. The U.N. Security Council is expected to take up the fighting in Syria during a closed-door session today.