The attack on the village of Tremseh by Syrian government forces, which left over 200 people dead, was mainly targeting homes of rebels and activists according to the UN, contrary to initial reports, claiming a massacre of civilians.

UN monitors inspected the site and said in a statement, the preliminary findings correspond with government claims that it was attacking rebel hideouts.

However residents disputed the claims, saying that armed pro-government militia entered the village after prolonged shelling by the army and massacred innocent civilians.

Talking to The Observer, residents said that the armed men shot “anything that moved”.

“I swear that we don't have any terrorists, Salafists, or anyone from the outside here,” said one resident.

"People have been terrified ever since [regime forces] came to the village in January and killed 40 of us. This time they stole from our homes, they robbed jewellery from women. All of this because we support the revolution?"

A second Tremseh resident said:

"The bombardment started at 5.30am and ended at 2pm. The incursion started at midday from the north of the village. Shabiha and regime military men entered the village and occupied the roofs of high buildings and shot at anything moving.

"They shot many civilians in the head and then burned the bodies. They handcuffed civilians and then shot them in the head. They burned shops and houses with families inside. After what happened, the FSA [Free Syrian Army] members tried to get inside the village to help with burying the martyrs and tending to the wounded but they couldn't.

"The criminals took many martyrs' bodies and wounded civilians with them and there are many missing people and burnt dead bodies with no way to identify them."