Julian Borger: Syrian Regime Accused of Crimes Against Humanity

The UN has accused the Syrian regime of "crimes against humanity" including the use of snipers against small children, and has drawn up a list of senior officials who should face investigation, reportedly including President Bashar al-Assad. The UN report was delivered as two journalists injured in the attack that killed Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik issued dramatic appeals to be evacuated from the besieged city of Homs, where they are trapped. A video of Edith Bouvier, a reporter for Le Figaro who suffered serious leg injuries, was released by activists in the city who say she is too badly wounded to be moved without an ambulance and guarantee of safe passage. In a second video released shortly after, Sunday Times photographer Paul Conroy, who was also injured in the attack, made a similar appeal for evacuation. Western officials urged Damascus to give immediate humanitarian access to trapped civilian populations of in Homs and elsewhere, including the evacuations of the western journalists, but said the lack of a security council mandate meant they were powerless to provide assistance without the regime's permission. The UN report found evidence that "army snipers and Shabbiha gunmen from from pro-Assad militias posted at strategic points terrorised the population, targeting and killing small children, women and other unarmed civilians. Fragmentation mortar bombs were also fired into densely populated neighborhoods."