U.N. Team Ends Syria Mission: Security Forces Still Using Lethal Force

A U.N. humanitarian team ended Thursday an inspection mission to Syria even though security forces are still using "excessive and lethal force" against demonstrators, officials said.

The team, which President Bashar al-Assad let into Syria last weekend after months of U.N. pressure, went to Damascus, Homs, Banias, Latakia, Hama, Aleppo and Idlib, said U.N. under secretary general B. Lynn Pascoe.

"It has just completed its visit today and (the) Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will provide a briefing in the next few days," Pascoe told a U.N. Security Council meeting.

The team, which was assessing Syria's need for medicines, food and other essential supplies, was ordered to withdraw from Homs this week. Activists said security forces opened fire on protesters in the town after the U.N. team arrived.

"Syrian security forces have continued to use excessive and lethal force against the popular protests," Pascoe told the council.

He added that Assad's "failure to rein in security forces undermined the credibility" of his announcement of reforms and promise of elections.