Syria crisis: Obama condemns 'outrageous' use of force
LONDON. April 23. KAZINFORM US President Barack Obama has accused Syria of using "outrageous" force against protesters and of seeking Iranian help to quell weeks of unrest, BBC News reports.
He condemned "in the strongest possible terms" Friday's violence in which more than 70 protesters were killed.
He said President Bashar al-Assad refused to respect the rights of protesters, and had instead used the same tactics as his Iranian allies.
Friday's reported death toll was the highest in five weeks of unrest.
Large crowds were due to attend funerals on Saturday for many of those killed, raising fears of further bloody confrontations.
Syria's state news agency said security forces had used only tear gas and water cannon to prevent clashes.
"This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now," Mr Obama said in a statement.
"Instead of listening to their own people, President Assad is blaming outsiders while seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that have been used by his Iranian allies".
See www.bbc.co.uk for full version.