Violence in Syria's central Homs province is on the rise as clashes between armed rebels and government forces have intensified over the past days at a time when the international community is still divided over the situation in Syria.

Syria's official media said Wednesday that "armed groups" fired mortar shells on an oil refinery in Homs and the al-Baath university, causing only material losses.

It also said that a bomb car went off at the al-Bayyada area in Homs, causing a number of casualties among civilians and law- enforcement forces.

On the opposition side, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday that the Syrian army's bombardment on restive neighborhoods in Homs has claimed the lives of at least 50 people. The opposition group also said that about 23 homes were greatly damaged in the restive Baba Amr neighborhood.

Some Arab TV channels put the death toll of Wednesday's alleged assault at more than 60. The report, however, couldn't be verified as journalists are banned from independently heading to restive areas.

As the violence drags on, the European Union (EU) is mulling over imposing new economic sanctions on Syria after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution against Syria backing calls for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to renounce some of his authority to his first deputy as a way to defuse the simmering violence in the Middle East country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended Russia's veto on the draft resolution, saying that the international community should not turn "a blind eye" to the fact that violence in Syria is coming from both the government and opposition forces.

Lavrov accused some countries of presenting the situation in Syria as being as if only government forces were shooting peaceful demonstrators.

"Half truth is worse than non-truth. Both parties have those who pursued a policy toward armed confrontation," Lavrov said.

Lavrov, who just wrapped up his visit to Syria, told a press conference in Moscow that the Syrians should seek themselves ways of national reconciliation.

"It is necessary to call on the government and the opposition to start negotiations. Bashar al-Assad has instructed Vice President (Farouk) al-Sharaa to begin such dialogue," he added.

Syria has blamed the unrest on "armed groups" backed by foreign powers, whereas the opposition said the Syrian regime brutality has pushed many army personnel to defect and protesters to take up arms to defend themselves.

The so-called Free Syrian Army, an anti-Assad militia given refuge in Turkey, has repeatedly said that it would attack all army and security bases in Syria.

As Russia seems to keep carrying on with efforts to solve the Syrian crisis peacefully and through a national dialogue, the EU seems persistent in paralyzing the Syrian economy as a way to weaken the Assad regime.

A senior EU official said Wednesday that the EU is studying new sanctions on Syria.

The new sanctions which are expected to be adopted at the next EU foreign affairs meeting on Feb. 27 includes a freeze on the Syrian central bank's assets and a ban on imports of Syria's noble metals, phosphate and oil, according to the official.

The official also mentioned there is no common position to recall EU ambassadors from Syria.

Some member states including France, Britain, Belgium, Italy and Netherlands have taken the decision to recall their ambassadors for a limited period in order to collect more information, "but others refused to recall them as requested by the Syrian opposition groups," he said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign minister said Wednesday that his country plans to convene an international conference on the Syrian crisis, which will draw regional players and world powers.

"Countries which are concerned with the situation in Syria have to find a solution. We are determined to establish a broad-based forum," Ahmet Davutoglu said in a televised interview.

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.