Both rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are intensifying violence in Syria and striving for military gains rather than peaceful transition, the chief UN monitor in Syria, Major General Robert Mood, said yesterday.

Russia dug in further against Western pressure to discuss a post-Assad Syria, and France’s foreign minister said Paris was considering whether to equip rebels with communications equipment to encourage a “stronger revolt”.

At least 34 people were killed in Syria yesterday, said the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, most of them by Assad’s forces. The group, which has a network of activists across Syria, said the death toll included at least six members of Assad’s forces who were killed in clashes with rebels.

“Violence over the past 10 days has been intensified, again willingly by both parties, with losses on both sides and at significant risk to our observers,” Mood told reporters in Damascus.

“There appears to be a lack of willingness to see a peaceful transition. Instead there is a push towards advancing military positions.”

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said discussions regarding a political transformation in Syria after Assad “are not being held and cannot be held, because to decide for the Syrian people contradicts our position completely”.

“We do not get involved in overthrowing regimes - neither through approval of unilateral actions by the UN Security Council nor by participation in any political plots,” he said.

His comments were a response to a remark by US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland suggesting Washington and Moscow were discussing a post-Assad strategy in Syria.

Russia’s foreign ministry also rebutted accusations by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that Russia was sending attack helicopters to Syria. It said Moscow had made no new deliveries, but had at some point carried out “previously planned repairs of (helicopters), which were delivered to Syria many years ago”.

World powers are deeply divided over Syria, with Russia and China - both permanent members of the UN Security Council and holding vetoes - blocking efforts by Western powers to condemn Assad or call for his removal after 15 months of bloodshed.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said his country still supported the UN-backed peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan.

“But we are also considering - and the Americans have done this - not giving weapons but providing communications equipment so that a stronger revolt develops among the population,” said Fabius.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Assad’s forces of using rape and other sexual violence against men, women and children, citing interviews with victims.

“The assaults are not limited to detention facilities - government forces and pro-government shabiha militia members have also sexually assaulted women and girls during home raids and residential sweeps,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW.