The Red Cross called on Tuesday for Syria to grant immediate safe access to people injured in violence as well as those being detained by the authorities.

In a statement, the independent humanitarian agency voiced concern that the violence had resulted in a large number of casualties and it feared that if the situation worsened, more lives would be lost.

"It is urgent that emergency medical services, first-aid workers and others performing life-saving tasks swiftly reach those in need," Marianne Gasser, head of the Damascus delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.

All people arrested and detained following the violence and weeks of demonstrations in Syria must be treated humanely and held in decent conditions, the agency said.