UNICEF denounces killings of children, women in Homs

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) late Monday denounced the reported killing of children and women whose bodies were found in the Syrian city of Homs on Sunday. According to Syrian and international media reports, young children were among the victims discovered in the Homs neighbourhood of Karm el-Zeytoun. Some of the bodies had their throats slit. Others bore marks of torture. "It's hard to come to terms with savagery on this scale especially when it involves children paying the highest price for events over which they have no control," said UNICEF Regional Director Maria Calivis. "We urgently call on all sides in this crisis to live up to their responsibility to safeguard children," she urged.