REUTERS

A pro-government protester holds a banner during a rally at Al-Fateh Grand Mosque in Manama on Tuesday. Picture: Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed

Washington- The US has voiced support for a humanitarian ceasefire in Syria to bring relief to civilians as it distanced itself from calls to provide weapons to rebels fighting the regime.

The International Campaign of the Red Cross has called for at least a two-hour halt to fighting daily to get aid to trapped civilians in Homs and to bring out the sick and wounded.

“Reprehensible actions taken by the Assad regime have led us to a situation where basic supplies, humanitarian supplies are very scarce,” White House press secretary, Jay Carney, said.

“We support calls for ceasefires to allow for the provision of humanitarian supplies to Syrians who desperately need them.”

“We still believe that a political solution is what’s needed in Syria. We don’t want to take actions that would contribute to the further militarisation of Syria because that could take the country down a dangerous path,” Carney said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 68 civilians were killed on Tuesday as troops blitzed the city of Homs, a stronghold of opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. –

Sapa-AFP