Entire families reportedly killed in fighting in north-west Syria, UN says

Members of Syrian security forces check cars in the city of Latakia on Sunday. The clashes have resulted in the country’s highest death toll since 2011. Photograph: Karam al-Masri/Reuters

The UN has condemned what it called “extremely disturbing” reports of entire families being killed in north-west Syria as clashes between security forces and Assad regime loyalists resulted in the country’s highest death toll since the start of its revolution in 2011.

The UN commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, called on Sunday for investigations into the killings and for perpetrators to be held accountable. “We are receiving extremely disturbing reports of entire families, including women, children and hors de combat [surrendered] fighters, being killed,” he said in a statement. “The killing of civilians in coastal areas in north-west Syria must cease, immediately.”