Syrian forces spread through mountainous area near Turkish border; 19 killed

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — The Syrian army has spread out across the mountains near the Turkish border as activists say the death toll from a two-day military siege has risen to 19 people.

The troop deployments appear aimed at preventing residents from fleeing to Turkey, where more than 10,000 Syrians are already living in refugee camps to escape a violent crackdown on anti-government protests. The refugees have been a source of deep embarrassment to Damascus. One prominent Syrian-based human rights activist says President Bashar Assad's regime fears the situation will create sympathy for those fleeing and increase international pressure on it.

Turkish officials say only five Syrians have made it across the border today.

Syrian forces have been consolidating their hold on the northwest region of Jabal al-Zawiya after two days of heavy shelling.

Syrian activists say more than 1,400 people have been killed in the crackdown. Assad's regime disputes that death toll and blames "armed thugs" and foreign conspirators for the unrest.

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APPHOTO BEI814: In this citizen journalism image made on a mobile phone and provided by Shaam News Network, Anti-Syrian President Bashar Assad protesters, hold banners during a demonstration against the Syrian regime, in the coastal city of Banias, Syria, on Thursday June 30, 2011. Syrian army forces spread through a restive mountainous area near the Turkish border on Thursday as the death toll from a two-day military siege rose to 19 people, according to activists and a witness. The French banner in the left read:"Save children, save women," and the Arabic banner in the right read:"The people want to step down the regime". (AP Photo/Shaam News Network) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO (30 Jun 2011)

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APPHOTO XGK110: In this photo taken on a government-organized tour, a Syrian soldier shows a camp allegedly harboring between 200-300 gunmen along the Syrian-Turkish border from the village of Khirbet al-Jouz in the northern province of Idlib, Wednesday, June 29, 2011. The Syrian Information Ministry and the Syrian Red Crescent have organized the trip for Arab and foreign journalists to the northern areas of Jisr al-Shughour, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the Turkish border, to monitor the return of Syrian refugees from Turkish camps. Syrian authorities have called on the refugees to return after regaining control over the restive region in Idlib province. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi) (29 Jun 2011)

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APPHOTO XGK107: In this photo taken on a government-organized tour, a camp allegedly harboring between 200-300 gunmen is seen along the Syrian-Turkish border from the village of Khirbet al-Jouz in the northern province of Idlib, Wednesday, June 29, 2011. The Syrian Information Ministry and the Syrian Red Crescent have organized the trip for Arab and foreign journalists to the northern areas of Jisr al-Shughour, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the Turkish border, to monitor the return of Syrian refugees from Turkish camps. Syrian authorities have called on the refugees to return after regaining control over the restive region in Idlib province. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi) (29 Jun 2011)

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