Syrian forces killed 10 people on Thursday as the government widened its crackdown on dissent to at least two more areas of the country.

Activists and witnesses say the deaths occurred in Qusair, a town in the central Homs province. They say government forces opened fire after columns of tanks pushed into the town.

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.

The new assaults took place despite mounting international pressure against President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on political dissent.

In Washington, the White House says President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed that the demand of Syrian citizens for a transition to democracy should be met. The White House says the two leaders also agreed on the need for an immediate end to the bloodshed in Syria. The two spoke by phone on Thursday.

Turkey's foreign minister traveled to Damascus on Tuesday and met with President Assad to discuss ways to end the unrest.

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.

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.