Syrian forces continue to bomb areas around the capital of Damascus in a bid to thwart the advance of rebel fighters. The Syrian army has used warplanes and ground operations in attempting to secure a perimeter around Damascus and prevent the rebels’ entry. Meanwhile, in Homs, at least 12 people were killed and dozens more wounded on Sunday in a double-car bombing. In a briefing to the U.N. General Assembly, U.N.-Arab League special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi called on the Security Council to authorize peacekeepers in Syria.

Lakhdar Brahimi: “Any peace process must include necessarily a binding agreement on the cessation of all forms of violence. As I said earlier, there is no trust between the parties, and for fighting to stop, a strong, well-planned observation system must be put in place. Such observation can best be organized through a large, robust peacekeeping force, and naturally that cannot be envisaged without a Security Council resolution.”