Fresh clashes broke out across Syria on Thursday, a day after the United Nations Security Council called for the government and opponents to enact a peace plan proposed by a U.N. envoy.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said a Security Council statement has sent a “clear” message to the Syrian government to stop its crackdown on dissent and implement the plan to end the bloody conflict with the opposition.

Speaking in Malaysia Thursday, Mr. Ban said he hopes the Security Council's unanimous action will signal a “turning point” in the international community's response to the Syrian crisis.

“All the violence must stop. And, there should be a political negotiation, inclusive political negotiation for the resolution of this issue, in a way which can meet the aspiration of the Syrian people and also humanitarian access should be established.''

The Security Council approved the so-called “presidential statement” Wednesday threatening Syria with unspecified “further steps” if international envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace proposal is rejected.

Activists welcomed the action. VOA spoke with a Syrian activist living in the United States, who prefers to remain anonymous. She says activists in Syria and abroad see the Security Council statement as a “successful step.”

“We see this as a very good step toward the right actions to stand with the Syrian people and also like a very good step to establish a transitional plan.”

But the action didn't put an end to the violence Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA a bus carrying 10 people was attacked in Idlib province by unidentified assailants. Activists say at least five women and children were killed. Syria's state-run news agency SANA blames armed terrorists for the incident.

The Britain-based observatory also says there was government shelling and clashes with rebels in Hama Thursday and a deadly ambush by opposition forces in the southern province, Daraa. Activists also reported government troops killing three people in the Homs' district town of Qusair.

Human Rights Watch issued a statement Thursday saying Syrian security forces are committing “serious abuses” in Qusair, including shelling of residential areas and attacking fleeing residents. The group also described “dire” humanitarian conditions in the city.

The United Nations says at least 8,000 people have been killed in the Assad government's violent crackdown on the revolt, which began with peaceful protests and became increasingly militarized as army defectors attacked pro-Assad troops who assaulted civilians.

The international community will hold its second “Friends of Syria” meeting next month in Istanbul amid efforts to bring the year-long government crackdown to an end. The U.S. State Department announced Thursday that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the meeting on April 1.