U.N. monitors shot at on way to Syria "massacre" site

BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. monitors came under fire on Thursday and were prevented from reaching a village where forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were reported to have massacred at least 78 civilians, U.N. officials said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the reported events in Mazraat al-Qubeir as "unspeakable barbarity," while the White House condemned the "outrageous targeted killings of civilians" and again called on other countries to halt support for Assad.

Opposition activists said up to 40 women and children were among those killed in the Sunni Muslim village near Hama on Wednesday, posting film on the Internet of bloodied or charred bodies.

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