DAMASCUS: Syria's government has called on the United Nations to make efforts to stop what it says is Saudi Arabia's support for extremist groups fighting to topple the regime.

“We call on the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to put an end to the unprecedented actions of the Saudi regime, which is supporting extremist terrorism tied to al Qaeda,” Syria's foreign ministry said in a message.

The message was sent to UN chief Ban Ki-moon, state television reported, marking the first time the Syrian government has appealed to the international body to take action against Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia is a key backer of the rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, although the regime in Riyadh has also been targeted by jihadist fighters.

The Syrian message to the UN accuses Saudi of assisting “terrorist groups in Syria,” and describes the kingdom as playing the “role of saboteur”.

“Saudi Arabia is not content to merely send weapons and to finance but also mobilises extremist terrorists and sends them to kill the Syrian people,” the Syrian message says.

The government in Damascus has regularly urged the UN to take action against “terrorists,” the term it uses to describe all those who oppose the Assad regime.