The Syrian President has criticised what he calls ‘the foreign conspiracy’ after his forces were accused of a bloody rampage in a town near Damascus.

Opposition activists say at least 320 people were killed by pro-Assad troops battling rebel forces.

They claim civilians were executed in their own homes.

But State TV says terrorists were to blame.

About 320 bodies including women and children were found in houses and basements in the town of Daraya  southwest of Damascus.

That is according to activists who said on Sunday most had been killed “execution-style” by troops.

Activists uploaded several videos to the Internet showing rows of bloodied bodies wrapped in sheets.

Most of the dead appeared to be young men of fighting age but at least one video showed several children who appeared to have been shot in the head.

Due to restrictions on non-state media in Syria it was impossible to verify the accounts independently.