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Race against time to stop all-out war in Syria

Says UN chief; Annan says violence escalating

AFP, Damascus
World powers are racing against time to prevent all-out civil war in Syria, UN leader Ban Ki-moon warned, as awatch-dog yesterday reported more killings of civilians by Syrian security forces.
Speaking ahead of a key UN Security Council meeting on Syria, Ban again condemned the "brutality" of President Bashar al-Assad's forces but said attacks by opposition groups have also "escalated."
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan also told the UN Security Council yesterday his Syria peace plan could be the "last chance" to avoid civil war there.
Annan said he had particular concerns that torture, mass arrests and other human rights violations are "intensifying."
"We are in a race against time to prevent full-scale civil war — death on a potentially massive scale," Ban said. The UN already estimates that well over
9,000 people have died in the 14-month uprising against Assad while rights groups have put the number at more than 11,000.
"The government continues to assault its people," the UN secretarygeneral told the Atlantic Council thinktank in Washington on Monday.
The UN chief also criticised the Syrian government for holding parliamentary elections on Monday while violence is still raging and for failing to involve all parties.
At least 25 people were killed in vio-
lence across Syria as the vote was taking place and yesterday three more people were killed by regime forces, according to monitors.
Washington also dismissed the vote as a sham.
Monday's vote, which was boycotted by the opposition, was called despite the country being in the grip of an uprising that began in March of last year.
A UN-backed truce that went into effect April 12 has failed to take hold fully and both regime forces and rebels have been accused of violating the ceasefire.
Pro-government media said turnout was high in the election that marked the first time Syria has held a vote since the adoption in February of a new constitution allowing for multi-party polls.
The vote, initially scheduled for last September, was postponed to May 7 after Assad announced the launch of a reform process backed by a referendum.