Syria's Interior Ministry has denied the existence of a mass grave in the southern city of Daraa, where the army entered last month to put down anti-government protests.
A ministry official told the state news agency Tuesday that reports of the mass grave are completely false, adding that the reports are part of a campaign of incitement against Syria.
Daraa residents and human rights activists say locals discovered the grave on the outskirts of the town, but authorities later blocked access to the area to prevent removal of the bodies.
Activists say more than 850 civilians have been killed across the country since mid-March when protesters began calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's resignation. Authorities have arrested at least 7,000 more as part of the crackdown.
On Tuesday, Syrian activists called for a general strike Wednesday in protest of the crackdown. The announcement was posted on the Facebook page of Internet-based opposition group Syrian Revolution 2011.