The UN Security Council has condemned the massacre of nearly 120 people in the Syrian city of Houla. During their extraordinary meeting on Syria, the Security Council’s members denounced the Syrian authorities for shelling the city and killing civilians.

Russia has issued a statement urging the Security Council to refrain from jumping to conclusions and remember about the possibility of provocations on the part of terrorists.

After a temporary lull, Syria is gripped by violence again. UN observers report from Houla that more than 115 people were killed and 300 were injured, including women and children. The ruling regime is blamed for the attack. According to UN sources, government troops opened artillery fire and fired tank shells at residential areas.

The resolution adopted at the UN Security Council’s meeting condemned the Syrian authorities for killing civilians. Besides, it accused the Syrian military of shooting local residents in cold blood at point-blank range.

Oriental expert Georgy Mirsky says that it’s too early to draw any conclusions given that provocations from the opposition forces and Al Qaeda terrorists cannot be ruled out.

"Most of the dead were killed by tank and artillery shells, or shrapnel. Since the opposition forces are not in possession of all these, it had to be government troops, which were reported to have been shelling the city for hours. Dozens of civilians were killed. However, some of the dead were slaughtered, and this is not in the army’s line at all. This is the “handwriting” of the Islamists. Undoubtedly, the recent massacre plays into the opposition’s hands. The blame will surely be put on President Assad. All countries will consider it necessary to stop him."

The Syrian authorities deny complicity in the incident contending that army units never left their positions and the massacre was performed by terrorists.

Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN Alexander Pankin has said that since the incident took place “under unclear circumstances”, there should be no rush in making conclusions. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed concern about the faltering peace plan proposed by UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan for Syria.

"We’re worried over the implementation of the plan. There has been certain progress in bringing the level of violence down but outbreaks of violence do take place, as becomes clear from the recent massacre in Houla. This means that we are as far from our goals as we could be. After the news of the tragedy came in, the UN Security Council resolved to react and Russia approved and insisted on an extraordinary meeting, even though it was Sunday."

Russia, China, and several other UN countries have called for a full inquiry into the Houla massacre and demanded that the culprits be punished. On Tuesday Kofi Annan will meet with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.