UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon today said violence in Syria against civilians had not stopped and the year-long conflict that has already killed thousands was getting worse.
"Despite the Syrian government's acceptance of the joint special envoy's [Kofi Annan's] plan of initial proposals to resolve the crisis, the violence and assaults in civilian areas have not stopped. The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate," Mr Ban told the UN General Assembly.
The UN Security Council today called on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to adhere to his commitment to stop using heavy weapons against the Syrian opposition and to withdraw his forces from cities by April 10th.
The council, in a presidential statement adopted today, called on all parties, including the opposition, to cease armed violence within 48 hours of Syrian government implementation of its pullback. The statement also calls for access for humanitarian-aid workers and implementation of a UN monitoring mission.
The council reiterated its support Dr Annan and his six-point proposal "aimed at bringing an immediate end to all violence and human rights violations, securing humanitarian access and facilitating a Syrian-led political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system."
The UN's policy-making body, which has been unable to reach agreement with Russia and China on a binding Syria resolution, said it will "consider further steps as appropriate".
Earlier today, fierce fighting was reported between state forces and rebels in several parts of Syria on today, including a town close to the capital Damascus, where an advance UN peacekeeping team was to arrive.
Explosions and heavy machine-gun fire rocked Douma, just 12 kilometres from the seat of government, activists from the Revolutionary Council of the Damascus Countryside said.
Syria has been struggling to suppress a year-long revolt against president Dr Assad's rule that has turned from a peaceful uprising to, at least partly, an armed insurgency.
The flare-up in violence as a United Nations advance team arrived in Damascus. It will be trying to broker a deal to deploy observers to monitor a ceasefire plan agreed by the government.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said army reinforcements were being sent into Douma as fighting continued amid unconfirmed reports of civilian casualties.
In northern Aleppo province, close to the Turkish border, the observatory said security forces were trying to storm two villages and had been fighting rebels for more than two hours.
It has been reported that between 800 and 900 Syrian refugees have crossed into Turkey in the last 24 hours.
Reuters