U.N. Calls on Syria to 'Immediately' End Violence

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Syria to "immediately" end attacks on civilians Saturday, a day after President Bashar Assad launched a fierce crackdown that killed over 50 people.

Ban "appeals for military operations against civilians to stop at once," said his spokesman Martin Nesirky.

The U.N. leader also called for the release "of all political prisoners and those detained in connection to their participation in the popular protests."

"The violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately," he added. "The calls of the Syrian people for change must be answered with far-reaching reforms, not repression and violence."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security forces killed 36 people on Friday as protesters urged a Libya-style no-fly zone, and reported that 17 soldiers later died in overnight clashes between troops and suspected deserters in Homs.

Friday's violence prompted a stern warning from the foreign ministers of the 22-strong Arab League, which called on member state Syria to stop the deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.