Syrian government forces have repositioned in Hama a day after activists say troops killed 24 people on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. Most of the deaths took place in the central part of the city, London-based rights group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. The bloodshed also continued in the capital Damascus early Tuesday morning, when six people were killed in an eastern suburb. Activists estimate 1,700 people have been killed since protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in March, though government officials dispute the toll. The EU has imposed sanctions on Assad and 29 members of his regime in response to the crackdown, and the UN Security Council is currently engaged in talks about further sanctions.