Syrian activists say government forces clashed with rebels across the country Sunday, leaving at least 14 people dead.

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports government bombardments in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Dera'a and Deir Ezzor, as well as a Damascus neighborhood. Casualty figures could not be independently verified.

The violence comes as the Syrian government denied that its forces used heavy weapons and aircraft in clashes with rebels in the village of Tremseh last week.

A Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman says the violence in Tremseh involved an operation targeting armed fighters.

U.N. spokeswoman Sausan Ghosheh said the attacks appeared to target the homes of activists and army defectors.