The Syrian government denied that heavy weapons and helicopters were used in clashes in Tremseh last week, reports Reuters.

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Jihad Makdissi, rejected the accusations, asserting that 37 rebel fighters and two civilians were killed by security forces in the village, from which the government claims rebels were attacking other areas.

Speaking at a news conference in Damascus on Sunday, Makdissi said:

"The least that can be said about this [statement by Kofi Annan - see below] about what happened in Tremseh is that it did not rely on facts. As diplomatically as possible, we say that this letter was very rushed,"

"Government forces did not use planes, or helicopters, or tanks or artillery. The heaviest weapon used was an RPG (rocket propelled grenade),"

"What happened was not a massacre ... what happened was a military operation. They were clashes between security forces, whose duty is to defend civilians, and heavily armed forces that don't believe in a political solution."

Condemning the Tremseh atrocities in statement released on Friday, Special Envoy Kofi Annan said,

"I am shocked and appalled by news coming out of the village of Tremseh, near Hama, of intense fighting, significant casualties, and the confirmed use of heavy weaponry such as artillery, tanks and helicopters,"

"This is in violation of the government's undertaking to cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres and its commitment to the six-point plan."