Syria: Amateur video purports to show damage and shots fired

At least 31 Syrian civilians and soldiers were killed on Sunday in bloodshed that coincided with a vote on a new constitution that could keep President Bashar al-Assad in power until 2028. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a military bombardment of opposition districts in Homs had killed nine civilians while rebels had killed four soldiers in clashes.The British-based Observatory said eight civilians and 10 members of the security forces were killed in violence elsewhere in Syria, scene of what has become an increasingly militarised revolt against four decades of Assad family rule.Voting took place in the referendum on a new constitution, which Assad says will lead to a multi-party parliamentary election in three months. The result is expected to be announced on Monday. Western powers described the vote as a sham.The Interior Ministry acknowledged obliquely that security conditions had disrupted voting, saying: The referendum on a new constitution is taking place in a normal way in most provinces so far, with a large turnout, except in some areas.The Syrian government, backed by Russia, China and Iran, and undeterred by Western and Arab pressure to halt the carnage, says it is fighting foreign-backed armed terrorist groups.Prime Minister Adel Safar, asked about opposition calls for a boycott, said this showed a lack of interest in dialogue. There are some groups that have a Western and foreign agenda and do not want reforms in Syria and want to divert Syrias steadfastness, he told reporters in Damascus.We are not concerned with this. We care about ... spreading democracy and freedom in the country, Safar said. If there was a genuine desire for reform, there would have been movement from all groups, especially the opposition, to start dialogue immediately with the government to achieve the reforms and implement them on the ground.The outside world has been powerless to restrain Assads drive to crush the 11-month-old revolt, which has the potential to slide into a sectarian conflict between Syrias Sunni Muslim majority and the presidents minority Alawite sect.Unwilling to intervene militarily and unable to get the U.N. Security Council to act in the teeth of Russian and Chinese opposition, Western powers have imposed their own sanctions on Syria and backed an Arab League call for Assad to step down.U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Sunday of the perils of any foreign intervention. I think there is every possibility of a civil war. Outside intervention would not prevent that, it would probably expedite it, she told BBC television in an interview. We have a very dangerous set of actors in the region: al Qaeda, Hamas and those who are on our terrorist list claiming to support the opposition.