UN votes to denounce Syrian crackdown

The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Friday to adopt an Arab-drafted resolution that condemns the Syrian government for the violent actions it has taken over the past 17 months and asks authorities to comply with a six-point peace plan devised by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. The resolution passed by a vote of 133 in favor, 12 against, and 31 abstentions. The resolution condemns attacks on civilians including children by the Syrian government, military-intelligence services, and militias, as well as killing and maiming, arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill-treatment, including violence, and use of human shields. The General Assembly resolution also condemns the increasing Syrian military reliance on heavy weapons, including tanks and helicopters, and a failure to withdraw its troops and heavy weapons to their barracksâ€‌ in line with Annan's peace plan.