Syria 'being destroyed', says peace envoy

The international peace envoy to Syria has said the country is “breaking up before everyone’s eyes.” Lakhdar Brahimi added that the conflict had reached “unprecedented levels of horror”, accusing both government and rebels of committing atrocities. “Syria is being destroyed. You know I sometimes say – of course the parties are very angry at me when I say that – objectively they are cooperating in destroying Syria,” he said. Lakhdar Brahimi spoke on the day evidence emerged of another massacre. The bodies of dozens of young men were discovered in Aleppo. They were said to be aged around 20; all had been shot in the head. The UN-Arab League envoy again criticised the UN Security Council for failing to act. It could no longer make excuses about being divided, he said. Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed resolutions against the Syrian government. A Lebanese newspaper has reported that President al-Assad’s wife Asma is pregnant with their fourth child.