Saudi Arabia has pulled out of the Arab League monitoring mission in Syria.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said on January 22 that Saudi Arabia "is withdrawing from the mission because the Syrian government has not respected any of the clauses" in the Arab plan aimed at ending the crisis.
Saudi Arabia’s move comes as foreign ministers of the Arab League are meeting to hear the recommendations of a panel whether to extend its monitoring mission to Syria by a month.
Critics say the 165-strong mission has done nothing to stop a 10-month crackdown on protesters.
The opposition Syrian National Council has formally asked the league to refer the crisis to the UN Security Council.
compiled from agency reports