Renewed Syrian Attacks on Civilians Alarm Annan

International envoy Kofi Annan has expressed “alarm” about media reports that Syrian troops have attacked civilian areas visited by U.N. soldiers trying to monitor a shaky truce in the government’s year-long conflict with rebels.

U.N. diplomats say Annan made the comment Tuesday in a closed-door briefing to the U.N. Security Council via video link from Sweden. They quote Annan as saying he is aware of reports that Syrian troops fired automatic weapons and killed a significant number of people in the central city of Hama on Monday. Several U.N. observers had visited the opposition hub a day earlier and were greeted by large crowds chanting anti-government slogans.