US condemns Syrian army attack on Hama

Reports from Syria say more than 80 people have been killed and many more injured as Syrian forces carry out an assault on the city of Hama.

JJ Harder, the US press attache at the embassy in Damascus, dismissed the Syrian government's claims that their forces were being attacked by armed gangs, saying "there is one big armed gang in Syria and it's named the Syrian government".

Amateur footage appears to show people in the Kazou area of Hama dropping to the ground as gunfire and shelling erupts around them, and smoke coming from buildings in the city.