The Syrian army's crackdown on opposition to President Bashar al-Assad's rule appears to be intensifying.

Al Jazeera journalists have witnessed Syrian forces using heavy weapons to bombard civilian areas in the city of Idlib in the northwest of the country.

Tight reporting restrictions have limited the international media's access to Syria.

However, Anita McNaught and her team managed to get into Idlib, and were there when the military assault began.