U.N. Security Council plan vote on new resolution as clashes rage in Syria

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Syrian state media says "tens of terrorists lay down their weapons and surrender"


• Delayed U.N . Security Council vote is scheduled to take place Thursday


• Hours before the vote, Syrian rebels clash with government forces in the capital


• "Anything that moves is currently being shelled," opposition activist says

(CNN) -- Battles between Syrian rebels and government forces raged in the capital Thursday, opposition activists said, as the United Nations Security Council prepared to vote on a resolution aimed at ending the escalating violence.

International envoy Kofi Annan requested the delay of the vote to Thursday.

He underscored the need for a decisive joint action to help end the bloodshed that has raged in Syria for nearly 17 months.

Western countries are pushing for a resolution that threatens sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad if government forces don't stop attacks against civilians.

However, Russia has opposed any international effort that would blame, punish or change the leadership of the Syrian government. Russia and China have vetoed two previous draft resolutions in the U.N. Security Council, leading to accusations that Russia is protecting the Syrian regime.

The two nations' holdout for a less confrontational approach has led to a diplomatic tussle.

U.S. President Barack Obama called his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the Syrian situation, the White House said in a statement Wednesday.

"They noted the differences our governments have had on Syria, but agreed to have their teams continue to work toward a solution," it said.

Hours before the planned vote, Syrian rebels clashed with government forces in the capital early Thursday, a day after a bomb blast killed three top officials in a blow to President al-Assad's embattled regime.

Qaboon, a suburb in the capital of Damascus, was under heavy fire, according to an opposition activist.

At least 13 people have been killed in Thursday clashes, including six in Damascus, the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said.

Residents are fleeing the violence with nowhere to go because clashes are raging in most of Damascus province, said Omar Al Dimashki, a spokesman of the Revolution Leadership Council of Damascus.

"It is surrounded by tanks and anything that moves is currently being shelled and rockets are falling on the homes," he said.

The reported shelling comes on the heels of a Wednesday blast at a national security building in Damascus that killed the three officials, a blow that struck at the heart of al-Assad's inner circle.

Officials killed were the defense minister; the deputy defense minister, who is also the president's brother-in-law; and al-Assad's security adviser and assistant vice president, state TV reported.

The attack occurred during a meeting of security officials and was coordinated by rebel brigades in Damascus, according to Col. Malek al-Kurdi of the Free Syrian Army, which comprises military defectors.

The government described it as a suicide bombing. But al-Kurdi said a remote control was used to detonate an explosive device that had been planted inside the meeting room.

State media said the government has killed or captured a "large number" of terrorist infiltrators in Damascus and inflicted "heavy losses" on terrorists in Homs and Idlib.

State TV said "tens of terrorists lay down their weapons" and surrendered nationwide to Syrian troops. It did not provide additional details.

CNN cannot independently confirm reports of violence in the nation because the government restricts access to foreign journalists.

Since the crisis began in March 2011, the United Nations estimates more than 10,000 people have been killed in the violence; the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria estimates that more than 16,000 have died.

Annan put forward a peace plan in April that has failed to stop the violence. The Security Council meeting Thursday is the latest attempt to agree on measures to end the violence in the nation after Russia and China vetoed the U.N. resolutions.

Russia, meanwhile, has put forth its own draft, which "strongly urges all parties in Syria to cease immediately all armed violence in all its forms."

The U.N. Security Council resolution also calls for renewing the 300-member U.N. observer mission for 45 days after it was suspended because of violence.

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