Syrian forces are continuing their deadly assault on the flashpoint city of Homs in a bid to crush a center of resistance to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Witnesses say dozens of people were killed overnight in continued shelling and rocket attacks from Syrian tanks. In Washington, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland chided Syrian allies Russia and China for backing Assad.

Victoria Nuland: “Well, we’ve made absolutely clear how we feel, both bilaterally and publicly, about regimes that continue to trade arms with the Syrian government: they’re simply fueling the violence. If in fact Assad supports the end of violence, he knows what he can do today, which he has neglected to do for these 11 months: he can stop the attacks by his forces on innocents in cities across Syria. And the violence continues in Homs, in Hama, around the outskirts of Damascus, etc., as so many of you are now able to report.”

The assault on Homs comes amidst a visit to Syria by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On Tuesday, Lavrov said Assad is ready to end the violence despite the ongoing bloodshed in Homs.