Germany Monday condemned what it called a war by the Syrian government against its own people, after calling for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the latest deadly crackdown.

Foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer renewed Berlin's call for a robust response from the council and new European Union sanctions against Damascus after activists said security forces killed nearly 140 people Sunday.

The European Union is to add five new names to a list of Syrian individuals and companies already targeted by a visa ban and assets freeze, EU diplomats said Monday.

"We will continue with our policy of sanctions,” said a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, confirming that a new round of measures against Syrians involved in the crackdown against protesters was "imminent.”

Russia urged Syria on Monday to immediately stop the use of force and repression against civilian protesters, in its strongest criticism yet of the government's crackdown on demonstrations.

The foreign ministry expressed "serious concern" after activists said Syrian security forces killed nearly 140 people Sunday in one of the deadliest days in more than four months of anti-regime protests.

Lack of a U.N. mandate and regional support means the conditions are not met for a Libya-style military operation in Syria, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen was quoted as saying on Monday.

"In Libya, we're carrying out an operation based on a clear U.N. mandate. We have the support of countries in the region. These two conditions are not met in Syria," Rasmussen told France's Midi Libre regional daily.

Calls mounted for an emergency U.N. meeting on Syria Monday after troops killed nearly 141 people in one of the deadliest days so far and the regime praised the army for "foiling" the country's enemies.

Rights activists said Sunday's death toll included at least 100 when the army stormed the flashpoint protest city of Hama, scene of a 1982 Islamist revolt that was put down by deadly force, killing an estimated 20,000 people.

Libyan rebels rounded up at least 63 people suspected of murdering their military chief and having links to Moammar Gadhafi, after an hours-long battle in their eastern stronghold of Benghazi.

Security forces patrolled the streets overnight in a bid to track down more members of the pro-Gadhafi group, a rebel spokesman said, as shoppers stocked up ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

Two Palestinians were shot dead overnight by Israeli soldiers in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the West Bank, Palestinian medics and security officials said on Monday.

The dead men, Moatassem Adwan, 22, and 23-year-old Ali Khalifa, were killed by soldiers as they carried out arrests in the camp on the road from Ramallah to Jerusalem.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Sunday condemned the "totally unjustified assault" by Syria's military on anti-regime protesters, which activists said had claimed nearly 140 lives Sunday.

"I am shocked at the latest reports from Syria that large numbers of civilians have again been killed in a totally unjustified assault by Syrian security forces on the town of Hama," Ashton said in a statement.

Italy called for urgent U.N. Security Council talks on Syria and said European ambassadors in Damascus should meet on Monday following a deadly crackdown by the Syrian army on anti-regime protesters.

"We request that the United Nations Security Council hold an urgent meeting and adopt a very firm position," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in an interview with the public broadcaster RAI.

Turkey urged the Syrian government Sunday to halt deadly attacks on civilians and use peaceful methods to end the unrest.

"Turkey one more time repeats its call for the Syrian government to stop the (military) operations and choose political methods, dialogue and peaceful initiatives for a solution," the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by Anatolia news agency.