Over 100 peaceful citizens, including 30 children, were found dead in Houla near Homs. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting. The talks lasted 3 hours. The UN Security Council demands people responsible for the massacre caused by artillery and tanks to be punished.
Russia does not rule out that the massacre was a provocation, because a lot of circumstances seem strange, Russian representative to the UN Alexander Pankin said.
Houla had a small anti-governmental protest, but there were no state forces in the area. Moreover, the massacre happened right before the visit of Kofi Annan, special envoy of the UN, to Damascus. The UN received information that many people killed in Houla had gunshots made at close range and signs of other physical violence.
General Mood, head of the UN monitoring mission in Syria, confirmed that they will continue investigating the case. He noted, according to Pankin, that it is impossible to blame state forces, because they were not in the area.
Vladimir Yevseyev, Director of the Center for Socio-Political Studies, said that non-constructive opposition lacks support of the population and would want Syria to experience the Chechen or Dagestani scenario.
