Red Cross: Syria in state of civil war

The International Red Cross has declared Syria’s 16-month bloodbath a civil war, a status with implications for potential war crimes prosecutions.

The Red Cross statement came as United Nations observers gathered details on what happened in a village where dozens were reported killed in a regime assault. After a second visit to Tremseh yesterday, the team said Syrian troops went door-to-door in the small farming community, checking residents’ IDs and then killing some and taking others away.

According to the UN, the attack appeared to target army defectors and activists.