(Newser)
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Opposition forces in Syria are reporting a new massacre by government troops, and this one might be the worst yet. Activists tell Reuters that more than 200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the village of Tremseh in central Hama province. They cite a familiar pattern: strafing by helicopters and tanks, followed by execution-style slayings by militiamen loyal to Bashar al-Assad. The AP also has reports of a massacre, but its death toll is at 100, while the Guardian puts the figure at 250. No independent confirmation yet. The violence comes amid reports of more high-level defections in Assad's regime.
