The sound of artillery fire rings out over the city of Deir al-Zor in western Syria.
It comes as a column of tanks storms the city - a hot-bed of anti-government protests - just after dawn on Sunday.
Activists say 38 people were killed in the attack, one of the deadliest yet in Syria's five-month-old pro-democracy uprising.
This amateur video, one of several posted to a social media website, shows smoke rising over the centre of the city.
A cameraman describes what he sees: They stormed the city in the morning, after dawn prayers, he says.
Another amateur cameraman looks for cover on a deserted street as gunfire sounds nearby.
The assault comes one day after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Syrian President Assad to stop using military force against civilians.
Andrew Raven,
Reuters