NEWS - ~ Syria crisis: Houla 'massacre leaves 90 dead'

Protesters came out onto the streets after Friday prayers in cities across Syria
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At least 90 people, including many children, have been killed in
Syria's restive Homs province, opposition activists say, calling it
a"massacre".
They said scores were wounded in the violence inHoula, as government
forces shelled and attackedthe town.
Shocking footage has emerged of the bodies of children killed as part
of one the bloodiest attacks in one area since a nominaltruce began in
April.
The UN said international monitors were heading to the area.
Fighting in Syria has continued despite the deployment of some 250 UN
observers monitoring a cease-fire brokered by UN envoy Kofi Annan - a
ceasefire which the BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says now
barely exists.
The UN says at least 10,000have been killed since an uprising began in
March 2011 against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
Day of mourning
Analysis
Leana Hosea
BBC News
The "massacre" video which has emerged from Houla bears the sound of a
man screaming:
"These are all children! Watch, you dogs, you Arabs, you animals -
look at these children, watch, just watch!"
On a bedroom floor dozensof little children lie dead, their arms and
legs strewn over one another. Many of their eyes are still open,
bearing a look of shock andfright. They are all covered with blood and
obviously suffered terrible deaths.
A girl, who is perhaps seven years old, wearing a headscarf and pink
diamonte belt, lies face to face in death with a much younger boy.
Another little boy in a yellow jumper lies with his arms stretched
out, almost cradling the head of the girl next to him. Blood covers
both their faces and soaks their hair.
People off camera are shouting: "Oh God, oh God, oh God."
An activist in Houla told theAssociated Press news agency that troops
began the assault on Houla after an anti-regime demonstration
following Muslim prayers on Friday.
The assault began with artillery shelling which killed 12, he said -
but scores more were butchered when pro-regime thugs known as
"shabiha" then stormed the area.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 90
people had died in the 24 hours since midday on Friday.
The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said more than 110 people
diedand urged the UN Security Council to act, AFP news agency
reported.
Activists have called a day of mourning.
Horrific video footage has emerged of dozens of deadchildren, covered
in blood, their arms and legs strewn over one another. It is
unverified, but our correspondent says such images would be difficult
to fake.
In one instance, six members of a family were killed when their house
was shelled, the Observatory said.
At least 20 others were killed in violence elsewherein Syria on
Friday, according to activists.
International media cannotreport freely in Syria and it is impossible
to verify reports of violence.
The BBC's correspondent Paul Wood and cameraman Fred Scott report from
the rebel stronghold of Rastan
Earlier, a spokesman for UN-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan said he
was planning to visit Damascus.
The spokesman declined togive a date, but diplomats in Geneva told AFP
that theformer UN secretary general would make the trip early next
week.
'Evidence of shelling'
Meanwhile, in a letter to the Security Council, UN chief Ban Ki-moon
said the Syrian opposition controlled "significant partsof some
cities".
He said that "established terrorist groups" could have been behind
some of the recent bomb blasts in Syria judging from the
sophistication of the attacks.
He said the situation remained "extremely serious" and urged states
not to arm either side in the conflict.
Earlier this month, a bombing in Damascus left 55 dead in an attack
which the government blamed onal-Qaeda. The attack came amid mounting
fears that the terrorist group was taking advantage of the conflict to
gain a foothold.
Mr Ban said Syria "has not ceased the use of, or pulledback, their
heavy weapons in many areas" - one of therequirements of Mr
Annan'speace plan.
"On several occasions, UNSMIS has heard the sound, or seen evidence,
of shelling in population centres," he said.
On Thursday, a UN-mandated panel said Syrian security forces were to
blame for most abuses in the conflict, which has continued despite the
presence of UN observers, who now total 260.
Mr Annan's six-point peace agreement ordered a cessation of violence
on 12 April. While casualties appeared to fall after the truce, the
fighting quickly resumed to previous levels.

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