Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday admitted his security forces have "made mistakes" during the uprising against his regime, Al-Watan reported.
Assad's comments come as Syrian tanks bombarded the southern border town of Tel Kelahk for the fourth day in a row to quell anti-government demonstrations.
Troops entered Tel Kelakh on Saturday, a day after a demonstrators there demanded "the overthrow of the regime," the slogan of revolutions that toppled Arab leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, and challenged others across the Middle East.
A Tel Kalahk resident who spoke to the Associated Press by satellite phone said the army was using hit and run tactics, storming houses and making arrests, but then withdrawing after raids. In a sign the army is finding itself under fire in the town, he told the AP some families "are resisting, preferring death to humiliation".
"Most residents of Tel Kelakh have fled," the resident said. "Some remaining people tried to escape to Lebanon yesterday but the shelling has been too heavy."
Razan Zaitouna, a human rights lawyer, said Assad's forces have killed at least 27 civilians since the army moved into Tel Kelakh.
Human rights groups say Assad's crackdown has killed at least 700 civilians. Assad blames the violence on armed groups backed by a disparate variety of subversive elements including Islamists, "Zionists," and outside powers. Authorities say more than 120 soldiers and police have been killed.
Assad has found himself under increasing international pressure due to the crackdown. He says thousands of Syrian police are receiving new training – but has not changed tactics as his crackdown becomes increasingly brutal.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan claimed last week 1,000 people have been killed in Syria's unrest and has, become uncharacteristically critical of Assad.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Tuesday France and Britain were close to getting nine votes for a resolution on Syria at the UN Security Council.
Russia and China are threatening to use their veto.