Washington, Aug 6 (IANS/RIA Novosti): The US has urged its citizens to leave Syria immediately following violent clashes in the country between government troops and protesters.

"The US Department of State urges US citizens in Syria to depart immediately while commercial transportation is available. Given the ongoing uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, US citizens who must remain in Syria are advised to limit non-essential travel within the country," the State Department said in a statement.

The statement also added that those who planned their visits beforehand should cancel them immediately as well.

The Department of State reiterated in the statement that it "ordered all eligible family members of US government employees as well as certain non-emergency personnel to depart Syria on April 25, 2011".

The travel warning came as Syrian troops and tanks continued their assault on the eastern city of Hama, a centre of opposition protest, where some 300 people were killed in the past several days.

More than 1,600 civilians are thought to have been killed in Syria since protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began in March.