DAMASCUS: An attack on a pro-government television channel's offices near Damascus killed seven staff on Wednesday, state media said, a day after President Bashar al-Assad said Syriawas in a "state of war".
A human rights watchdog said the past week had been the bloodiest since the uprising against Assad's rule broke out in March last year and as the exiled opposition called for international action over a week-long bombardment of the eastern city of Deir Ezzor.
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is pressing for an international conference on the 15-month conflict to go ahead on Saturday despite wrangling between Moscow and Washington over the terms of reference and guest list, his deputy said.
The Syrian delegation stormed out of a UN Human Rights Council meeting after it heard a report that abuses were taking place on a regular basis in a conflict that was taking on an increasingly sectarian dimension. Live footage broadcast by state television showed extensive damage to the studios of the Al-Ikhbariya satellite channel.
"The terrorist groups stormed the offices of Al-Ikhbariya, planted explosives in the studios and blew them up along with the equipment," information minister Omran al-Zohbi said.
A human rights watchdog said the past week had been the bloodiest since the uprising against Assad's rule broke out in March last year and as the exiled opposition called for international action over a week-long bombardment of the eastern city of Deir Ezzor.
UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is pressing for an international conference on the 15-month conflict to go ahead on Saturday despite wrangling between Moscow and Washington over the terms of reference and guest list, his deputy said.
The Syrian delegation stormed out of a UN Human Rights Council meeting after it heard a report that abuses were taking place on a regular basis in a conflict that was taking on an increasingly sectarian dimension. Live footage broadcast by state television showed extensive damage to the studios of the Al-Ikhbariya satellite channel.
"The terrorist groups stormed the offices of Al-Ikhbariya, planted explosives in the studios and blew them up along with the equipment," information minister Omran al-Zohbi said.
