U.N. Chief Hits Out at Syria Killings

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon condemned the Syrian government for the killing of scores of demonstrators on Friday and renewed calls for a "transparent" independent investigation.

"The secretary-general condemns the ongoing violence against peaceful demonstrators in Syria, which again has killed and injured many today, and calls for it to stop immediately," said U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

Ban said President Bashar Assad's government must "respect international human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as the freedom of the press."

He also repeated his demand for an "independent, transparent and effective investigation into the killings," added the spokesman.

Ban noted measures such as the lifting of a decades-old state of emergency in Syria but stressed that "only an inclusive dialogue and the effective implementation of reforms can address the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and ensure social peace and order."

Syrian security forces killed at least 72 people as they dispersed the latest anti-government demonstrations in the country, activists said. Syrian authorities spoke of 10 dead.