The United States has announced new sanctions targeting the Assad government in Syria and detailed how Hezbollah, already designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, has supported the Syrian government crackdown on opposition forces. The State Department said Syria's state oil company, Sytrol, is being sanctioned for its role in providing gasoline to Iran, a key supporter of the Assad Government.

The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Hezbollah for its role in providing support to the Syrian government. These include freezing of Hezbollah assets under US jurisdiction and prohibiting Americans and US companies from dealing with the group.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said a working group will be set up with Turkey to co-ordinate the response to the deepening Syrian crisis. She said after talks in Istanbul that she had discussed with Turkey's foreign minister how best to support opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

The US, she said, is also increasing aid for Syrian refugees. According to the United Nations numbers of civilians fleeing violence in Syria have surged. Turkey, like all of Syria's neighbours, is dealing with a growing humanitarian crisis as thousands of refugees flood across the border.

Rebels in the northern city of Aleppo say they are preparing a counter-attack after withdrawing from the strategic south-west district of Salah al-Din under heavy bombardment. Turkey is currently supporting more than 50,000 Syrian refugees, with more arriving every day.

In another development, Arab foreign ministers are to meet in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Sunday to discuss the Syrian crisis.