Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report

The UN rights office says most of the 108 killed in a Syria massacre last week were executed. At least 8 countries, including the US, France and Britain, have expelled Syrian diplomats as further details emerged about what happened in Houla.

Published

over 1 year ago

Categories

World, Middle East & North Africa, Middle East

Topics

Middle East & North Africa

People

Bashar al-Assad, William Hague, Kofi Annan, Karen Sloan, Beth Colson

Places

Syria, United States of America, France, United Kingdom, Houla

Tags

massacre, foreign policy

Transcript

ScriptSHOTLIST:UGARIT NEWS - AMATEUR VIDEO - RELEASED BY A GROUP WHICH CALLS ITSELF UGARIT NEWS - AP CLIENTS ONLY++PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS NOT A RECOGNISED NEWSGATHERING ORGANISATION++++AP CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION OR AUTHENTICITY OF THIS MATERIAL++Houla - 26 May 20121. Mid of mass grave with bodies, people making final preparations for burialUNTV - AP CLIENTS ONLYHoula - 26 May 20122. Pan from wounded infant to woman holding a fluid drop3. Various of wounded man, missing his right hand, brought to the mosque AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLYParis - 29 May 20124. Mid of the Syrian embassy in Paris5. Close of the plaque outside embassyPOOL - AP CLIENTS ONLYLondon, UK - 29 May 20126. SOUNDBITE (English) William Hague, British Foreign Secretary: "These expulsions express our horror at the behaviour of the regime and increase the international pressure on them to implement the commitments they have entered into."SYRIAN TV - NO ACCESS SYRIADamascus - 29 May 20127. Syria special envoy Kofi Annan walking forward and shaking hands with Syrian President Bashar Assad at the Presidential Palace in Damascus8. Wide of meeting 9. Mid of Annan and Assad at talks10. Close of Assad 11. Mid of Annan 12. Syrian officials at the meeting 13. Mid of Annan and Assad UGARIT NEWS - AMATEUR VIDEO - RELEASED BY A GROUP WHICH CALLS ITSELF UGARIT NEWS - AP CLIENTS ONLY++PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS NOT A RECOGNISED NEWSGATHERING ORGANISATION++Homs - 28 May 201214. Large explosion in the al-Khaldiyeh district of Homs, fire ball and plume of smokeSCRIPTMost of the 108 victims of a chilling massacre in Syria last week were shot at close range, some of them women and children who were gunned down in their own homes.That's according to a report from the UN Human Rights office, which offered grim new details on what happened in Houla, a group of poor farming villages northwest of Homs.In response, at least eight countries Tuesday announced they were expelling Syrian diplomats, including France, as well as the US and Britain...SOTIn Damascus, international envoy Kofi Annan met with Syrian president Bashar Assad on Tuesday. His spokesman said he expressed 'grave concern' about the Houla killings and other violence.According to the state-run news agency, Assad blamed terrorists and weapons smugglers for scuttling Annan's peace plan which the envoy and countries around the world have been pushing strongly.Annan himself said his plan can't work without bold steps to stop the ongoing violence in Syria, and release detainees.(****END****)VIDEO PRODUCER/VOICER: Karen Sloan------------------------------VIDEO SOURCE: UGARIT NEWS - AMATEUR VIDEO/ UNTV/ AP TELEVISION/ POOL/ SYRIAN TV--------------------------VIDEO APPROVAL: Beth Colson------------------------------VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS SYRIA----------------------------------WIRE SOURCE: AP------------------------------------