Major Western powers say they are expelling senior Syrian diplomats following the killing of 108 people in the Houla region of Syria on Friday. France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada and Australia have all announced expulsions. Most victims of Friday's massacre - including women and children - were summarily executed, the UN says. Residents said the pro-government Shabiha militia had entered homes and opened fire indiscriminately. Koffi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, arrived in Damascus today to meet with President Bashar El-Assad on the heels of a massacre last week that left 108 Syrians dead. The massacre is being described as a "turning point" in the Syrian conflict, now in its 14th month, because of the international condemnation it prompted, particularly from Russia, which has been broadly supportive of President Assad until now. But there has been no change in the international approach. Mr. Annan has merely reiterated the need for both the government and rebels to abide by his six-point peace plan, which has been mostly ignored by the government and rebels since it was unveiled in April.
