UN blasts Syria for civilian killings

UNITED NATIONS -- The Security Council blamed Syria's government Sunday for attacking residential areas of the town of Houla with artillery and tank shelling and also condemned the close-range killings of civilians there -- but avoided saying who was responsible for the massacre of more than 100 men, women and children.

The council issued a press statement after an emergency meeting saying the "outrageous use of force" against civilians violated international law and Syrian government commitments under previous UN resolutions to stop all violence, including the use of heavy weapons in populated areas. It said "those responsible for acts of violence must be held accountable."

It demanded that Syria immediately halt the use of heavy weapons and pull its troops out of cities and towns, and it asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN observer mission to continue investigating the massacre.

Syria blamed the killings on "hundreds of heavily armed gunmen" who also attacked soldiers in the area.

Britain and France had proposed issuing a statement condemning the attack on civilians and pointing the finger at the Syrian government for Friday's massacre. But Russia called for an emergency council meeting, saying it first wanted a briefing by Gen. Robert Mood, the head of the unarmed UN observer mission.

Russia, which considers Syria its closest Mideast ally, has used its Security Council veto power to block resolutions raising the possibility of UN action against President Bashar Assad. The Houla assault was one of the bloodiest single events in the 15-month uprising against Assad.

Mood told the closed-door council session that UN observers, after revisiting the scene, had raised the death toll to 108 people, UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said. Those killed include 49 children and 34 women, Ahmad Fawzi, a spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan, told The Associated Press.

A press statement is weaker than a presidential statement, which becomes part of the council record, or a legally binding UN resolution, but with approval by all 15 members, it reflects strong Security Council backing.