UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has "lost all humanity" as the UN Security Council held new talks Tuesday on the Syrian government's deadly crackdown on protests. With the 15-nation council now under mounting pressure to take a stand on the worsening violence in Syria, the UN secretary general vented his growing anger at Assad's refusal to acknowledge international criticism.
"Since the beginning of this situation, I have issued many statements, I have spoken to President Assad several times, and I have expressed my sincere wish and genuine wish that he should genuinely, genuinely address these issues in a peaceful manner," Ban told a small group of reporters. Highlighting weekend violence in which about 140 people were killed in a military offensive on Hama and other towns, Ban added: "This is a totally unacceptable situation.
"He (Assad) must be aware that under international humanitarian law, this is accountable. I believe that he lost all sense of humanity," Ban said. "He must address this issue, listening to the calls of the international community and more importantly, listening to the aspirations and genuine wishes of his people."