Kofi Annan will brief the U.N. Security Council on Friday about the deteriorating situation in Syria as the deadly conflict enters its second year.
Annan, the U.N.-Arab League special envoy on Syria, met last weekend with embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the hopes of finding an end to the bloodshed.
His briefing on the visit will be held via closed teleconference.
More than 8,000 people have died in the conflict, according to the United Nations, but opposition activists said the overall toll is more than 9,000, mostly civilians.
The U.N. and officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation plan to go on an assessment mission led by the Syrian government to the provinces of Homs, Hama, Tartous, Latakia, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Rif Damashq and Daraa to asses the humanitarian need.
"There is no time to waste," said Valerie Amos, the U.N. humanitarian chief . "It is increasingly vital that humanitarian organizations have unhindered access to identify urgent needs and provide emergency care and basic supplies."
Opposition activists said gunfire or explosions could be heard early Friday in several suburban cities in Damascus province. Security forces were arresting people in the northeastern city of Deir Ezzor, activists said.
One civilian was gunned down by security forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:
The civilian's demise adds to the mounting death toll as al-Assad's regime continued its brutal crackdown.
At least 46 people died in Syria on Thursday, 37 of them in Idlib province, where there is strong opposition sentiment, said the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria.
Al-Assad's regime routinely insists "armed terrorist groups" are behind the bloodshed in Syria and says it has popular support for its actions.
Government news outlets reported thousands of Syrians gathering Thursday in city squares to show their "love" and loyalty" for their homeland.
CNN cannot independently confirm reports of casualties or attacks in Syria because the government has severely restricted the access of international journalists.
But most reports from inside the country indicate the regime is slaughtering civilians to wipe out dissidents seeking al-Assad's ouster.
The al-Assad family has ruled Syria for more than four decades.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an end to the violence as the anti-government uprising, which started in March last year, enters its second year.
"The status quo in Syria is indefensible," he said.
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