Report: Syrian Forces Head toward Jisr al-Shughour

A Syrian activist says elite government forces are heading to the country's north in possible preparation for an attack on a town where soldiers reportedly joined an anti-government uprising.

The activist, Mustafa Osso, says witnesses told him that long lines of tanks and thousands of troops were on the move toward Jisr al-Shughour on Wednesday.

Osso, who is inside Syria, says many of the troops are from the army's 4th Division, which is commanded by President Bashar Assad's younger brother, Maher.

In recent days, witnesses and activists reported a mutiny of Syrian soldiers and loss of government control over Jisr al-Shughour. The government said 120 forces were killed.

Activists say Syria's nationwide crackdown on the revolt against Assad has killed more than 1,300 Syrians.