UPDATE 1-Russia says it is coordinating with US over rising violence in Syria, TASS reports

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MOSCOW, March 10 (Reuters) - Russia is coordinating with the United States in connection with the escalating violence in Syria, the TASS news agency reported on Monday, citing Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia.

In Syria, clashes in recent days between loyalists of former president Bashar al-Assad and the country's new Islamist rulers have killed more than 1,000 people, mostly civilians, in the former president's coastal heartland.

Moscow was a major backer of Assad, who fled to Moscow in December after his ouster. Russia has two military facilities in the areas where recent fighting has been reported.

When asked by journalists ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting if Moscow was cooperating with Washington on Syria, Nebenzia replied "yes", TASS reported.

The Kremlin has called the situation in Syria alarming and urged an end to the bloodshed.

(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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