Houla massacre 'may be crime against humanity'

Last week’s killing of more than 100 civilians at Houla in Syria may amount to crimes against humanity, the UN high commissioner for human rights has said.

Navi Pillay urged the international community to “make all efforts to end impunity” and “ensure accountability for perpetrators” of such “atrocities”.

Ms Pillay was addressing an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Earlier, opposition activists said there had been another mass killing of civilians by pro-government militiamen.

Thirteen factory workers were forced off a bus and executed by “shabiha” – the name given to these armed regime supporters – on Thursday in al-Buwaida al-Sharqiya, near the western town of Qusair, they said.

Several videos posted online showed bodies with severe wounds to the head and stomach, consistent with being shot at close range.