At least seven more people are reported to have died in Syria after clashes with government security forces on Tuesday 21 June.

Sources from Syria claim that at least seven anti-government protesters were killed in several major cities when they were targeted by security forces.

Anti-government protesters had clashed with supporters of President Bashar al-Assad in several major cities following Al-Assad’s televised speech on Monday.

In his 70-minute address, President Al-Assad said reforms would be forthcoming, but claimed that anti-government protests were down to a small group of saboteurs, and that the government would continue to adopt a hardline approach with such groups.

Opposition groups in Syria estimate that more than 1,300 civilians and 300 soldiers have been killed since the protests against Al-Assad’s rule began in mid-March.

In response to the continued unrest, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has made a fresh appeal to Syria to allow the UN to carry out fact-finding and humanitarian missions.

The secretary general told the UK-based BBC that he was ‘’very concerned’’ about human rights violations in Syria.