State media said two top officials were being investigated for their role in a previous crackdown, as international leaders continued to denounce the government campaign against protesters.

Some of the thousands of refugees to have fled into neighbouring Turkey said troops were burning crops and slaughtering livestock in villages near the border.

State television said the army was pursuing "armed gangs" into the woods and mountains around Jisr al-Shughur after storming the town, which had been a centre of protest, over the weekend.

Human rights activists reported heavy gunfire and explosions in the town throughout Sunday as troops backed by helicopter gunships and around 200 tanks launched a two-pronged dawn assault.

And on Monday, they reported intermittent gunfire as troops launched search operations in the village of Uram al-Joz, east of Jisr al-Shughur and in the Jebel al-Zawiya mountains further south.

AFP