Over 5,000 killed in Syrian uprising

More than 5,000 people have died in the nine-month Syrian uprising, the UN’s human rights chief has said as she warned the country is on the brink of civil war.

Navi Pillay said she had told Security Council members of the dramatic increase in deaths during a closed-door session.

The death toll cited by the UN in recent weeks had been around 4,000.

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The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said she recommended the council refer Syria to the International Criminal Court, the permanent war crimes tribunal, for investigation of crimes against humanity. At least 300 children are among the dead, and there are thousands of people in detention, she said, noting the last time she briefed the council on Syria, in August, the death toll was about 2,000.

She also warned of a possible crackdown in one of the country’s key cities, where a military build-up has been reported.

Ms Pillay said “many voices are warning of a major assault” on Homs – already the scene of frequent clashes between security forces and protesters this year. Her office had reports that hundreds of tanks and weapons have been deployed over the past few days, dozens of checkpoints have been set up and trenches dug.

While her department is unable to verify reports because it is not allowed access, it has seen video footage showing corpses on the streets, buildings riddled with bullets and tanks in the streets.

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Ms Pillay said the overall death toll in the Syrian clashes “probably exceeds 5,000,” based on credible reports from a series of sources.

“This number includes civilians, as well as defecting soldiers and those executed for refusing to shoot civilians,” but does not include serving members of the military, security forces or allied armed groups.

“I am appalled by the constant stream of grave violations that have taken place since the first protests in Syria in March,” she said. “I am concerned that this continued ruthless repression and deliberate stirring of sectarian tensions, especially in Homs, may soon plunge Syria into civil war.”

The High Commissioner said the Syrian government “has manifestly ignored the pleas and condemnations of the international community at all levels”.

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US ambassador Susan Rice said Ms Pillay’s briefing “underscores the urgency of the present moment”.

“Through condemnations issued by the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council and bold steps taken by the Arab League and the government of Turkey, international bodies are starting to match their severe disapproval of Syria’s bloody crackdown with concrete steps to bring it to an end,” Ms Rice said. “It is past time for the UN Security Council to do the same.”

Representatives of France, Britain and Portugal also said it was time for the council to take strong action on Syria.

“Obviously, we will consider a range of options when the issue comes back to the Security Council,” British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said. “We will need to move in lockstep with the Arab League.”

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Last month, Russia and China vetoed a Western-backed Security Council resolution condemning the bloodshed in Syria.

The updated death toll was issued as Syrians closed their businesses and kept children home from school as part of a general strike to pressure President Bashar Assad to end the bloodshed.

Russia has accused the West of taking an “immoral” stance on Syria by pressuring Assad while refusing to condemn violence by what it called “armed extremist groups” trying to overthrow him.

Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also rebuffed calls on Moscow to back sanctions against Syria.

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