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Syria 'turns back' UN from Qubair 'massacre site' Syria 'blocks' UN from Qubair 'massacre site'
(40 minutes later)
UN monitors in Syria say the army is preventing them from reaching the village of Qubair, where 78 people are reported to have been massacred. UN monitors in Syria say the army has been preventing them from reaching the village of Qubair, where 78 people are reported to have been massacred.
"They are being stopped at Syrian army checkpoints and in some cases turned back," mission commander Gen Robert Mood said. "They are being stopped at Syrian army checkpoints and in some cases turned back," the UN mission commander said.
"Civilians" were also stopping UN patrols in the area near the western city of Hama, he added. Monitors were continuing their efforts to reach the scene near the western city of Hama, he added.
A subsequent Syrian state TV report that monitors had in fact entered the village could not be confirmed.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the violence was "unconscionable".US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the violence was "unconscionable".
The UN has 297 unarmed observers in Syria to verify the implementation of a peace plan negotiated by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, which includes a ceasefire that supposedly came into force in mid-April.The UN has 297 unarmed observers in Syria to verify the implementation of a peace plan negotiated by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, which includes a ceasefire that supposedly came into force in mid-April.
'Brutality and duplicity''Brutality and duplicity'
There is a sense in Damascus shared by many diplomats, international officials and those opposed to President Assad that his regime may no longer have complete and direct day-to-day command and control of some of the militia groups being blamed for massacring civilians. The world has looked at the Syrian conflict in very black and white terms over the past 15 months. It now needs to acknowledge the shades of grey that are emerging. Gen Robert Mood, the commander of the UN mission, said civilians were also stopping UN patrols in the Hama area.
UN observers are hoping to soon investigate the latest reports of killings. Kofi Annan will be updating the UN today on his mission and on the massacre in Houla. Members of the international community in Damascus say that, contrary to initial reports, most of the people in Houla were killed by gunfire spraying the rooms, not by execution-style killings with a gun placed to the back of the head. Also, people's throats were not cut, although one person did have an eye gouged out. "We are receiving information from residents of the area that the safety of our observers is at risk if we enter [the] village," he said.
"Despite these challenges, the observers are still working to get into the village to try to establish the facts on the ground."
There is a sense in Damascus shared by many diplomats, international officials and those opposed to President Assad that his regime may no longer have complete and direct day-to-day command and control of some of the militia groups being blamed for massacring civilians.
The world has looked at the Syrian conflict in very black and white terms over the past 15 months. It now needs to acknowledge the shades of grey that are emerging.
UN observers are hoping to soon investigate the latest reports of killings. Kofi Annan will be updating the UN today on his mission and on the massacre in Houla.
What is acknowledged is that, while the UN observer mission has been a success in terms of meeting its brief, the six-point plan has been a failure. And it's clear the Syrian conflict has stopped looking like past Arab revolutions and is instead beginning to look much more like Bosnia when it began the slow slide into sectarian civil war.What is acknowledged is that, while the UN observer mission has been a success in terms of meeting its brief, the six-point plan has been a failure. And it's clear the Syrian conflict has stopped looking like past Arab revolutions and is instead beginning to look much more like Bosnia when it began the slow slide into sectarian civil war.
Mrs Clinton said the US was disgusted with the continuing violence and urged President Bashar al-Assad to step down. Mrs Clinton called on President Bashar al-Assad to step down, accusing the Syrian state of sponsoring Wednesday's violence in Hama.
China and Russia have already indicated they will not support any attempt at regime change or military intervention. "Assad has doubled down on his brutality and duplicity and Syria will not, cannot be peaceful, stable or certainly democratic until Assad goes," she said on a visit to Istanbul, Turkey.
The UN is set to meet later to discuss new proposals from Mr Annan. Mrs Clinton said she was willing to work with China and Russia to secure peace, but those countries have already indicated they will not support any attempt at regime change or military intervention.
He is expected to urge the Security Council to create a new contact group involving regional powers and council members to help end the violence. The UN is set to meet later, when it is expected to discuss a proposal from Mr Annan to create a contact group involving regional powers and council members to help end the violence.
Analysts say the continuing unrest suggests diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis are having little impact on the ground. 'Set alight'
Some members of the Security Council are pushing for stiffer measures against the Syrian regime.
"The regime-sponsored violence that we witnessed again in Hama [province] yesterday is simply unconscionable," said Mrs Clinton.
"Assad has doubled down on his brutality and duplicity and Syria will not, cannot be peaceful, stable or certainly democratic until Assad goes."
Mrs Clinton said she was willing to work with China and Russia to secure peace.
But the two countries have twice vetoed Security Council resolutions against the Syrian government, and the US insistence that Mr Assad quits continues to divide the council.
Militiamen
The latest violence comes less than two weeks after 108 people were killed in a massacre in Houla.The latest violence comes less than two weeks after 108 people were killed in a massacre in Houla.
According to activists, security forces launched a bombardment of Qubair, a village of fewer than 30 houses, about 20km (12 miles) north-west of Hama, late on Wednesday. According to clandestine activists, security forces bombarded Qubair, a village of fewer than 30 houses about 20km (12 miles) north-west of Hama, late on Wednesday.
The activists said much of the killing was done by accompanying groups of pro-government militiamen known as shabiha, who had come from nearby pro-government villages. Much of the killing was done by accompanying groups of pro-government militiamen known as shabiha, who had come from nearby pro-government villages, the activists said.
They said the militiamen shot at close range and stabbed many people, and that some of the bodies were later burnt in houses that were set on fire. Militiamen allegedly shot at close range and stabbed many people, and some bodies were reportedly later set alight along with houses.
"They executed [nearly] every person in the village. Very few numbers could flee. The majority were slaughtered with knives and in a horrible and ugly way," one activist in Hama told the BBC's World Tonight. One activist in Hama told the BBC's World Tonight that a small number of villagers had managed to flee.
"The small number of villagers who fled were the only people remaining who could tell the world about this horrible massacre." One Qubair resident told the BBC that after the army and militia had left the village, he discovered about 40 bodies, mostly women and children, stabbed to death.
One Qubair resident told the BBC that when the army and militia left the village, he discovered about 40 bodies - mostly women and children who had been stabbed to death.
Among the victims were four members of his family, the man said. He added that he saw the burned corpse of a three-month-old baby.Among the victims were four members of his family, the man said. He added that he saw the burned corpse of a three-month-old baby.
The Local Co-ordination Committees, an activist network, said 78 people had died in Qubair, including 35 members of one family.The Local Co-ordination Committees, an activist network, said 78 people had died in Qubair, including 35 members of one family.
However, Syrian officials said reports of a massacre were "completely false".
State TV reported that security forces had launched an attack on an "armed terrorist stronghold" in Qubair after appeals from citizens.
Troops came across the bodies of two women and a number of children, bound hand and foot, the TV report said.
In a statement on state TV quoted by AFP news agency, the government said that "a terrorist group has committed a heinous crime".
The LCC said the Qubair killings had brought the total number of people killed nationwide by security forces on Wednesday to 140.The LCC said the Qubair killings had brought the total number of people killed nationwide by security forces on Wednesday to 140.
But Syrian officials said reports of a massacre were "completely false".
State TV reported that security forces had launched an attack on an "armed terrorist stronghold" in Qubair after appeals from citizens.
It said a UN observer team had entered Qubair and had "witnessed a crime by the terrorists, who killed nine women and children".
Members of the international community in Damascus say that most victims at Houla were killed by gunfire raking rooms and not in execution-style killings, contrary to initial reports.
Also, people's throats were not cut at Houla, although one person did have an eye gouged out, the sources now say.
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