Syria rebels give Assad regime 48-hour deadline to observe UN ceasefire plan

Damascus, May 31 (ANI): Syria's main rebel group has given President Bashar-al Assad's government a two day deadline to observe a UN ceasefire plan.

The rebel Free Syrian Army's (FSA) Colonel Qassim Saadeddine said if there was no response by Friday afternoon they would consider itself 'no longer bound by the.. peace plan'.

Col Saadeddine said in an online video that the government must "implement an immediate ceasefire, withdraw its troops, tanks and artillery from Syrian cities and villages," the BBC reports.

"It should also allow immediate humanitarian aid to all affected areas and free all detainees... The regime should also enter into a real and serious negotiation through the United Nations to hand over power to the Syrian people," he said.

According to the report, all of these are provisions of the peace plan put forward by UN-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan.

Meanwhile, the UN confirmed on Wednesday the discovery of 13 bodies near the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, with their hands tied behind their backs, some apparently shot in the head.

UN mission chief Maj Gen Robert Mood said he was 'deeply disturbed' by the 'appalling and inexcusable act'. (ANI)