Syria's interior ministry on Monday pledged to keep hunting down "armed terrorists groups" in the restive central province of Homs to restore security and order there.

In a statement aired by the state TV, the ministry said that six army personnel were killed and 11 others injured during the clashes in Homs on Monday.

The ministry said those armed groups have committed atrocities that claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians, adding that they have ramped up their attacks by the instigation of foreign parties.

However, "the opportunity is still available for those armed men to turn themselves in," the ministry noted.

The violence across Syria has ramped up notably over the past days, claiming the lives of many civilians and army men as the opposition and the government are exchanging accusations over the deadly attacks.

The state-run SANA news agency reported that many violent acts were carried out by "armed terrorist groups," adding that three army officers were killed and other soldiers were kidnapped when armed groups attacked a law-enforcement forces' checkpoint in northern Idlib province on Monday.

According to the report, armed terrorist groups on Monday attacked citizens and law-enforcement members at several areas in central Homs province, in addition to booby-trapping many buildings in several areas of Homs and blowing them up.

Besides, gas and oil pipelines were targeted within the past 24 hours in Homs, according to SANA.

Some activists were quoted by Arab TV channels as saying as many as 73 people were killed Monday by the Syrian army offensive in several areas, 53 of them killed in Homs alone.

The activists' report couldn't be verified as the official media dismissed the account as "media hype."

Also, the Turkey-based alleged army defectors announced Monday the formation of a higher military council to "liberate" the country from President Bashar al-Assad's rule, according to the Saudi al-Arabia TV.

Meanwhile, Fayyez Sayegh, a political analyst, told Xinhua that the escalation of violence by armed groups comes following the international community's failure to adopt a resolution at the United Nations Security Council over Syria.

The armed groups were trying to "upend the international community's notions," he said.

Another political analyst, Hamdi al-Abdullah, said that the escalating violence must be decisively dealt with by the Syrian army to restore stability and security.

The Syrian government said more than 2,000 army and security personnel have been killed during the months-long unrest, while the United Nations put the death toll in the country at more than 5,400.