UN envoy criticises 'staggering' Syria death toll

New UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has said that the death toll in Syria is "staggering" and the destruction "catastrophic".

He has also called for a united stance from the international community.

In his first comments to the United Nations General Assembly since replacing Kofi Annan, Brahimi warned that the 18-month-old war is "deteriorating steadily".

The Red Cross has launched a mission to seek greater protection for civilians in Syria, as activists claimed rebel-held areas of the besieged city of Aleppo are facing severe food shortages.