BBCNewswithIainPurdon
TheUnitedNationsSecretaryGeneralBanKi-moonsaystheSyrianauthoritieshavecommittedclearandwidespreadcrimesagainstthecountry'scivilianpopulation. HewasaddressingtheUNGeneralAssemblyinNewYork. Earlier, theInternationalCommitteeoftheRedCrosssaiditsaidconvoyinthedevastatedcityofHomshadbeendeniedaccesstothedevastatedBabaAmrdistrict. MrBansaidthereweregrislyreportscomingoutofSyria.
"InHoms, Hamaandelsewhere, thebrutalfightinghastrappedciviliansintheirhomeswithoutfood, heatorelectricityormedicalcare, withoutanychanceofevacuatingthewoundedorburyingthedead. Peoplehavebeenreducedtomeltingsnowfordrinkingwater. Thisatrociousassaultisallthemoreappallingforhavingbeenwagedbythegovernmentitself, systematicallyattackingitsownpeople."