UN: Syrian death toll exceeds 5,400

The UN has announced that the death toll in Syria's months-long unrest has already exceeded 5,400. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay gave a toll of more than 5,000 dead when she spoke to the UN Security Council in early December, while UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council on January 10 that at least 400 people had been killed since Arab League monitors arrived in Syria on December 26, AFP has reported. UN: Syrian death toll exceeds 5,400 After the UN Security Council meeting Pillay said the toll had additionally risen and added that the UN “is experiencing difficulties because of the fragmentation on the ground”. "Some areas are totally closed such as parts of Homs, so we are unable to update that figure but in my view 5,000 and more is a huge figure and should really shock the international community into taking action," she told reporters. According to diplomats at the UN, European and Arab nations are currently hammering out a Security Council draft resolution condemning the crackdown on protesters and they will probably vote early next week on the resolution that also hints at a possibility of imposing sanctions on Syria. Tanjug

UN: Syrian death toll exceeds 5,400

After the UN Security Council meeting Pillay said the toll had additionally risen and added that the UN “is experiencing difficulties because of the fragmentation on the ground”.

"Some areas are totally closed such as parts of Homs, so we are unable to update that figure but in my view 5,000 and more is a huge figure and should really shock the international community into taking action," she told reporters.

According to diplomats at the UN, European and Arab nations are currently hammering out a Security Council draft resolution condemning the crackdown on protesters and they will probably vote early next week on the resolution that also hints at a possibility of imposing sanctions on Syria.