Turkey has signaled possible support for a buffer zone to protect Syrian civilians if the Assad regime continues its deadly crackdown on protesters.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the Financial Times on Tuesday that Ankara was preparing targeted sanctions against Damascus and left the door open for more drastic steps at a later date, such as a buffer zone or a no fly-zone on Syrian territory.

Syria's largest opposition group on Wednesday urged the Arab League to freeze the country's membership and to recognize it as the representative of the "revolution.”

In a statement, the Syrian National Council urged "the Arab League to freeze Syria's membership, ensure the protection of civilians and recognize the SNC as the representative of the Syrian revolution."

Wael Abbas, the suspected ringleader in the abduction of the seven Estonian cyclists, has been arrested, reported the National News Agency on Wednesday.

He was arrested by Syrian security forces as he was attempting to escape to the country through a false ID, it added.

More than 30 people were killed in acts of violence in Syria on Wednesday, including 15 members of the Syrian security forces killed in attacks by army deserters, a rights group said.

Deserters killed 15 members of the security forces in two operations in the flashpoint central province of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syria and the Arab League have agreed on a roadmap to end violence in the country, Damascus said, but a top official of the regional organization said it was still awaiting Tuesday the expected formal response.

"Syria and the Arab League are in agreement over the final paper concerning the situation in Syria and the official announcement will be made at Arab League headquarters tomorrow (Wednesday)," Syrian state television and the SANA news agency said early Tuesday evening.

The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says it fears for several journalists and bloggers in Syria who have vanished, with no response from authorities as to their fate.

"We are concerned for the safety of Lina Ibrahim, Wael Abaza and Hussein Ghrer and other journalists who we believe to be in the custody of Syrian authorities," said Mohammed Abdul Dayem, the committee's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator.

Thousands of Syrians staged a rally in support of embattled President Bashar al-Assad in eastern Syria on Tuesday, state television said, as activists reported a counter rally in the same area.

Meanwhile four people were killed on Tuesday in violence in the protests-wracked country, including an army officer and a soldier who were shot dead by gunmen in the northwestern Idlib province, a rights watchdog reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday his country would oppose a Libya-style military intervention against the Syrian regime which is battling months-long democracy protests.

"We have many questions ... after the U.N. Security Council adopted the Libyan resolution," allowing military intervention to protect civilian lives, and "after the Libyan drama," he said in Abu Dhabi, speaking in English.

The head of the Lebanese Democratic Party MP Talal Arslan condemned on Tuesday the various positions taken by some Lebanese and regional forces over the developments in Syria, saying that they reflect the ambitions of foreign powers that seek to weaken Syria.

He said after holding talks in Damascus with President Bashar Assad: “Syria has overcome its crisis and it will emerge stronger than it was before.”

Syria will respond Tuesday to an Arab League proposal to end violence between regime forces and protesters, an Arab diplomat said, a day before Arab foreign ministers were due to hold talks on the issue.

The Arab League official said Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had asked on Monday for changes to the proposal, which calls on President Bashar Assad to end violence against protesters and begin talks with his opposition.