( CNN ) -- Security forces raided a northern Syrian city amid explosions and gunfire early Thursday and casualties have been reported , activists said . The forces clashed with gunmen believed to be dissidents in the city of Binnish in Idlib province , according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights . The Local Coordination Committees of Syria , another activist group , said 14 people had been killed , including 12 in Binnish and one each in Homs and Daraa . Among those dead are at least two young children , the group said . `` Syrian military forces supported by tanks and armored personnel carriers stormed the city early this morning , '' Syrian Observatory said . `` Heavy machine guns and shelling have been heard around the city . '' The group said some houses were damaged and casualties have been reported . Explosions rang out as forces pounded the city , according to the group , which said military forces also stormed the village of Taoum east of Binnish . Oudai Al Sayed , an opposition activist , said he fled the town through olive groves to escape a Syrian military attack . He said he saw 30 tanks and an armored personnel carrier enter the town . Standing on a rooftop in a nearby town , al Sayed said he saw smoke rising from Binnish . He said a couple of months ago , military defectors took shelter in Binnish . He said some of the defectors are fighting Syrian troops . The LCC said security forces made arrests in Binnish and Banias . Security forces also raided Al-Qusor in Homs province and arrested 19 people , the Syrian Observatory said . The LCC said pro-government militia members and security forces burned down the houses of an activist 's relatives in Homs after they failed to find and arrest him . They also kidnapped members of a family . CNN can not independently confirm events in Syria , which restricts international journalists from accessing many parts of the country . Protests in Syria erupted seven months ago , with demonstrators demanding an end to President Bashar al-Assad 's regime , as well as democratic elections . Al-Assad has been in power since 2000 . His father , Hafez al-Assad , ruled Syria for three decades until his death that year . The Syrian Observatory estimates that more than 3,100 people have died since the uprising began in mid-March . The death toll includes about 2,400 civilians , the group says . Opposition activists have accused officials of killing protesters , but the government has said it is going after armed groups .
NEW : At least 14 people have been killed , an activist group says . Security forces clash with gunmen believed to be dissidents . The government blames the violence on a splinter faction of Al Qaeda in Yemen and accuses it of being behind last month's suicide bombing at a mosque that left more than 200 dead.