Clashes in Syria's north

DAMASCUS: Rebels and troops clashed in northernSyriaas regime foes set their sights on the capital as the rallying cry for weekly protests on Friday, while the EU prepared to slap new sanctions onDamascus.

"Damascus, here we come" was the slogan for anti-regime demonstrations on the day of weekly Muslim prayers, as posted by activists on their Facebook page, The Syrian Revolution 2011.

The army and rebels clashed in the Aazaz region near the Turkish border, killing at least three soldiers, and troops bombed a district of the flashpoint city ofHomsin centralSyria, opposition activists and monitors said.

In fierce clashes on Thursday, rebels and government forces both went on the offensive, after President Bashar al-Assad's foes branded as toothless a UN Security Council call for peace.

The latest violence came a day after the regime launched attacks on a string of towns, while rebel fighters struck military posts in several provinces and announced a command structure to coordinate hit-and-run strikes in and aroundDamascus.

A bus, with women and children on board, was shot up close to the town of Sermin in the northwestern province of Idlib, near the border with Turkey, and 10 people died, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Opposition activist Milad Fadl said the civilians were headed forTurkeyto escape when regime forces opened fire.

Government troops backed by tanks launched an assault on the northern border town ofBinesh, sending thousands into flight towards the nearby towns of Taftanaz, Al-Maara and Sardana.