Syrian troops are shelling intensively parts of the city of Homs, activists say, a day after the UN General Assembly called for an end to violence.

One opposition group said the bombardment was the heaviest since troops launched attacks on anti-government strongholds 13 days ago.

A senior Chinese envoy is meanwhile due to meet President Bashar al-Assad.

China and Russia voted against the UN resolution, which also called on Mr Assad to hand over power to his deputy.

The two countries also vetoed what would have been a legally binding UN Security Council resolution two weeks ago.

'Extreme violence'

Parts of Homs have been battered by mortars and rockets fired by Syrian government troops for nearly two weeks, as they try to dislodge hundreds of rebels from the Free Syrian Army.

On Friday, shells were hitting the districts of Baba Amr, Inshaat, Bayada and Khaldiya, opposition and human rights activist said.

"The shelling is continuous. They are using rockets and mortars, which are falling on people's houses," Homs resident Abu Abdah told the BBC. "The damage is so huge, and the city has been isolated."

"We have no support. We have a lack of medical supplies and food. The Assad forces have prevented people leaving the city."

Hadi Abdullah of the Syrian Revolution General Commission told the AFP news agency: "It's unbelievable - extreme violence the like of which we have never seen before, with an average of four rockets every minute."

"There are thousands of people isolated in Homs. There are neighbourhoods that we know nothing about. I myself do not know if my parents are OK. I have had no news from them for 14 days," he added.

Government forces on the outskirts of Homs have yet to make a big push on the ground to wipe out all resistance, as they have promised to do.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that nine unidentified bodies were found in Homs on Friday morning.

Two people also died in the