Stay out of Syria, Russia tells the West

Politicians in Russia's lower house sent a stark warning to the West not to force regime change as Barack Obama condemned the "outrageous bloodshed" in the besieged city of Homs.

During a parliamentary debate Alexei Pushkov, the head of the foreign affairs committee, said Russia strongly opposed another "operation to promote democracy".

The tone of the discussion and firm support for the Kremlin's tactic of shielding the Syrian regime sent shockwaves through the UN Security Council members, some of who still hoped Russia would lift its veto against sanctions.

Some Washington insiders now believe the only way to stop the brutal crackdown on Syria's rebels is military intervention - a view several US analysts claim is mirrored by some in the White House.

The stand-off came as the violence spread to Syria's largest city Aleppo where rebels planted bombs near two security compounds. The attacks at the heart of President Assad's stronghold are the most audacious yet by the Free Syrian Army.

Meanwhile in Homs government troops continued their week-long bombardment in a bid to crush the uprising. Much of the rebel city is now rubble and hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped unable to escape due to the heavy shelling and snipers.

Between blasts of rockets and mortar fire, doctors have begun using loudspeakers to call for blood donations and medical supplies in a desperate attempt to stem the deepening humanitarian crisis.

Abu Muhammad Ibrahim, an activist in the Baba Amr area of Homs, said there is little medicine left and much of the city has been without power for days.

He said: "Snipers are on all the roofs in Baba Amr, shooting at people. Anything that moves, even a bird, is targeted. Life is completely cut off. It's a city of ghosts.

"The bombardment has not eased, day or night. Children have been wounded, elderly with extreme injuries."

Hundreds of people are believed to have been killed.

A top British lawyer was sent to Syria as recently as last year in a bid to convince President Assad to implement democratic reform, it emerged today.

The meeting, between the president and Sir Jeffrey Jowell QC, was paid for by Saudi-Syrian billionaire businessman Wafic Said. It was one of many British attempts to reach out to the country since Mr Assad succeeded his father in 2000.

The revelations came as David Cameron yesterday warned that he would take the "toughest possible response" to the slaughter in Syria after the United Nations Security Council failed to agree on a resolution.