UN says more than 9,000 dead in Syria unrest "Violence on the ground has continued unabated," Robert Serry, a UN Middle East peace envoy, told the UN Security Council. Credible estimates put the probable death toll since the beginning of the uprising one year ago to more than 9,000. It is urgent to stop the fighting and prevent a further violent escalation of the conflict," Serry added. Meanwhile Mr Assad visited a rebel stronghold in the city of Homs that his forces had overrun after weeks of shelling and gunfire, apparently to make the point that he can now tour the streets of the once bitterly fought-over district. Syrian state television showed video of Assad, wearing an open-necked shirt with a blue suit, walking casually in the devastated streets of the Baba Amr district and talking to groups of supporters. Baba Amr was an emblem of opposition and rebel army defiance until it was reclaimed by government forces early this month after 26 days of heavy bombardment which opposition activists said was totally indiscriminate. "Life will return to normal in Baba Amr, better than it was before," Assad said. Activists says hundreds of civilians and opponents of Assad were killed in Baba Amr in February by shelling and snipers. "He thinks he won and scored a great victory," said opposition activist Saif Hurria, speaking by telephone from Homs. He wants to show the world he defeated and put down a revolution. But ... it seems he can't even release the video until he has left Homs. That is not control Opposition supporter Abu Jaafar said Assad's appearance in Homs was "giving the green light to kill like this again."