SpiegelOnline.
As the list of countries expelling their envoys from Syria continues
to grow, French President François Hollande said Tuesday night that he
will not rule out international military intervention in the country.
Speaking on the French television broadcaster, France 2, Hollande said
that, as was the case in Libya in 2011, such an action would require a
mandate from the United Nations. "It is not possible to allow Bashar
Assad to massacre his own people," Hollande said.
Hollande's comments came on the same day France and several other
European countries, including Germany, joined the US, Australia and
Canada in expelling their Syrian ambassadors. Japan announced it is
sending home the Syrian envoy to Tokyo on Wednesday.
Pressure has been mounting on Syria this week from the international
community following news of a massacre of 108 people over the weekend in
the Syrian town of Houla. The majority of those killed were women and
children, and UN officials said Tuesday that most were not killed by
artillery fire, but were summarily executed, probably by the shabiha
militia supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
