Syria Death Toll Hits 3K: UN

Three thousand people have died in the seven-month protest campaign against President Bashar al-Assad, including at least 187 children, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has announced, urging international action to end Syria’s “ruthless repression” of its people. “The onus is on all members of the international community to take protective action in a collective manner,” Navi Pillay said according to the BBC.

A UN spokesman added that the figure didn’t include the hundreds who’d been arrested and tortured, or who had mysteriously disappeared. “Just hoping things will get better isn’t good enough, clearly,” he said. Russia and China have already vetoed one UN resolution to take “measures” against Syria, but they have recently urged Assad to implement reforms, a sign that even they may be losing patience with him. (More Bashar al-Assad stories.)