Syria: violence continues ahead of ceasefire deadline

The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, has warned Syria not to intensify violence ahead of a ceasefire proposed by the UN and Arab League, and is calling on the Security Council to respond appropriately if the Syrian government should fail to keep its pledge to end military operations by 10 April. Rice expressed hope that, in such a case, all 15 members would, “see the wisdom of delivering not just a strong message but strong actions.” Syria says it will honour the deadline, though activists say the government is stalling for time. According to official UN estimates, well over 8,000 people have died in Syria over the past year as a result of the government's crackdown on protesters. Listen to our report: