At least five people have been killed as Syrian security forces stormed into two towns as part of the government's widening crackdown on dissent.

Rights groups says the deaths occurred in the central Homs region Thursday when columns of tanks pushed into a town in the area.

They say a second raid took place in the northwestern town of Saraqeb near the Turkish border. The activists say security forces raided homes and arrested at least 70 people.

Details of events in Syria are difficult to confirm because the government allows very few foreign news reporters into the country and restricts their movements.

At least 12 people were killed Wednesday in the government crackdown on dissidents.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been facing growing international condemnation for his crackdown on dissidents calling for his ouster.

On Wednesday, the United States announced new sanctions on Damascus, saying it would freeze U.S. assets of a Syrian bank and mobile phone operator. The White House said Syria would be “better off” without Mr. Assad.

Also Wednesday, Britain's deputy ambassador to the United Nations said Syria is carrying out an offensive against its people that is “brutal and unwarranted,” but Syria rejected his remarks.

Philip Parham spoke to reporters on behalf of the four European countries on the U.N. Security Council. He said 2,000 mostly unarmed civilians have been killed in Syria, and some 3,000 have “forcibly disappeared.”

He also warned that the Security Council will consider more ways to pressure Syria if it does not end its crackdown on opposition protesters.