Lebanese Border – Deaths Mount – Syrians Say – Fears

NEW: Interior Ministry says more than 3,000 people have been involved in riot acts

McCain calls on Obama to speak out against violence in Syria

Harrowing tales are told on the Syrian- Lebanese border

More than 700 protesters have been killed, groups say

iReport: Send us your videos, photographs and stories to help document what’s happening in Syria, but be sure not to put yourself in a dangerous situation.

(CNN)Anxiety intensified across the volatile Syrian landscape Wednesday, with deadly confrontations erupting in two major flashpoint cities and fearful people fleeing across the Syrian- Lebanese border describing a black cloud of repression.

Syrian military tanks began shelling two residential areas in Homs, killing at least five people; 13 people were slain in Daraa, 11 when tanks destroyed homes and two by sniper fire; and one person was killed in Jasem, according to Ammar Qurabi, chairm! an of the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria.

This brings the number of slain protesters to 776 since demonstrations began in the middle of March, and the total of those arrested to 9,000, according to figures compiled by his group.

The Interior Ministry on Wednesday put the number of people involved in riot acts at 3,308 from different Syrian provinces. “The rioters were immediately released after pledging not to repeat acts that may harm the homeland and citizens’ security,” said the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The ministry had earlier called upon “those who were misled into participating in or committing unlawful acts” to turn themselves in to authorities before this Sunday. Doing so, it said in a statement, would exempt them from punishment.

However, Syrians intent on fleeing over the Lebanese border Wednesday expressed the ongoing fears of citizens who have taken to the streets.

Some at the border were too scared to speak to CNN report! ers even off-camera, but others described terrifying ordeals in places like Daraa and Homs.

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, called on U.S. officials to use the bully pulpit to effect change. “It’s time for the president of the United States to speak up forcefully and frequently, and the secretary of state, both of whom are listened to throughout the world, to speak up forcefully on this situation,” he said. “If Bashar al-Assad is successful through the use of blood and steel to repress the legitimate aspirations of his people, that will be a lesson to tyrants throughout the world.”

CNN’s Rima Maktabi, Yousuf Basil, Salma Abdelaziz and Joe Vaccarello contributed to this report.

Lebanese Border – Deaths Mount – Syrians Say – Fears