Arab nations back UN motion on Syria violence

THE UN’s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly to demand that Syria end its bloody crackdown and cooperate with an international probe into possible crimes against humanity.

The UN Human Rights Council voted 33 to four to condemn the violence by Syrian authorities — underscoring the growing international isolation of President Bashar al-Assad — and dispatch a human rights team to probe alleged atrocities since March.

The countries backing the condemnation included all four Arab voting members of the council — Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Russia and China voted against, along with Cuba and Ecuador.