UNITED NATIONS, July 14: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Special Envoy for the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, have jointly condemned the attacks on Thursday in the Syrian village of Tremseh which reportedly resulted in over 200 deaths.

Ban called on the UN Security Council to act urgently saying he is “outraged” by reports of horrific mass killings in Tremseh in the province of Hama, noting that many civilians, including children and those fleeing shelling, were among those reportedly killed.

The village was bombarded by helicopter gunships and tanks and then stormed by militiamen who carried out execution-style killings. The victims were mostly civilians and, if confirmed, it would be the worst single incident of violence since the conflict began 16 months ago.

Ban said these acts of violence cast serious doubts on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s recent expression of commitment to the six-point plan presented by the Joint Special Envoy.

The six point plan calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.

“The Syrian government must halt this bloodshed and recognise that armed confrontation is the wrong course and must end now. I also urge the armed opposition to abide by its commitments under the six-point plan”.

Ban said, adding that those responsible for these abuses must be brought to justice.

He also called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killings and other abuses committed in Syria in the past 17 months.