Thirteen factory workers have been forced off a bus and executed in a village near Qusair. This was already the third mass killing in Syria in a week.

On Thursday evening, activists posted on YouTube two videos showing the bodies of the 13 men with hideous injuries. As before, pro-regime militants are blamed for the massacre, BBC reported.

The UN Human Rights Council, the world’s top human rights body, is meeting in emergency session to discuss Syria and is expected to condemn the Houla massacre in the strongest possible terms. A draft resolution refers to “the wanton killings of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse by pro-regime elements and a series of government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighbourhood”, and demands that Syria allow in human rights investigators and aid agencies immediately. However, the council has no real power. It cannot impose sanctions on Syria, neither can it order the UN Security Council to act.

Russia and China stand apart the discussions over Syria and opposes any actions against Syria’s government.

As reported, the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) has given the government of President Bashar al-Assad a 48-hour deadline to observe a UN ceasefire plan. It followed the massacre in Hoola where 108 people, including 49 children and 34 women were killed last week. As many as 15,000 people have been killed since the revolt against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad began in March of last year.

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