Kofi Annan, the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, said Monday (July 9th) he has agreed with Syrian President Bashar Assad on a new approach to end the country's violence, AFP reported.

Although he gave no details about the agreement, Annan said he will share the approach with opposition forces.

"We discussed the need to end the violence and ways and means of doing so," Annan said after meeting Assad in Damascus, adding that he will meet soon with opposition forces.

The opposition Syrian National Council criticised the meeting between Annan and Assad, saying thousands have been killed despite calls for a ceasefire since April.

Russia is hosting Syrian opposition leaders for talks in Moscow this week, including top opposition member Michel Kilo. The Syrian National Council's new leader Abdel Basset Sayda is expected to arrive Wednesday to press Russian leaders to cut weapons shipments to Syria.

Meanwhile, at least 20 people were killed across Syria and after nearly 100 people died in clashes on Sunday, watchdog groups reported.

"Regime troops continue to shell the Khaldiyeh, Jurat al-Shiah and the Old City neighbourhoods of Homs," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding that government troops battled opposition forces in Sultaniyeh.

In northwestern Idlib province, government forces struck Ariha with shells and heavy machine gunfire, killing at least six people. Three people, including two children, were killed during bombardment of villages in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, the Observatory said.