Western states are expelling Syrian diplomats amid accusations government-backed militias were behind the Houla massacre. The majority of the victims killed in the bloody attack were executed at close range, the UN’s human rights office said.
The UN High Commissioner for Human rights Rupert Colville said Tuesday that “under 20 of 108 killed in the attack can be attributed to artillery and tank fire,” Reuters cites him as saying.
"What is very clear is this was an absolutely abominable event that took place in Houla, and at least a substantial part of it was summary executions of civilians, women and children," Colville told reporters in Geneva. "At this point, it looks like entire families were shot in their houses," the agency reports.
Survivors told UN monitors at the scene that the score of door to door killings which left 49 children and 39 women dead, were carried out by pro-government Shabbiya militia forces.
Other eyewitnesses have pinned the blame on rebel fighters, claiming the attacks were retribution for those who refused to take up arms against government forces.
Damascus has denied any involvement in the massacre, blaming “armed terrorists” attempting to destabilize the peace process for the killings...
http://www.voltairenet.org/Pointblank-Massacre-Massive