UN Chief Urges Security Council To Act As Syria Violence Continues

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Security Council to act with "seriousness" on Syria, where he said the situation has become "unacceptable."

Ban was speaking on the sidelines of an energy summit in Abu Dhabi on January 16.

Meanwhile, activists said at least 11 people were killed across Syria on January 16 as the 10-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad continued.

Arab foreign ministers will meet on January 22 to discuss the future of the mission sent last month to check if Syria is abiding by an Arab League plan it accepted on November 2.

The plan required Syria to halt the bloodshed, withdraw the military from cities, free detainees and hold a dialogue.

The United Nations says that more than 5,000 people have died in the revolt, with hundreds more killed since the monitors deployed on December 26.

The Syrian authorities say 2,000 members of the security forces have also been killed.

compiled from agency reports