The General Secretary of the the World Council of Churches (WCC) has condemned the violence in Syria.

Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed his "deep pain" over the massacre of innocent people, and especially children, in the village of Taldou, in the area of Houla near Homs, on Sunday.

“We, as churches, cannot but condemn this inhumane act and manifest our feelings of solidarity with the families of the victims, mourning their beloved ones,” he said in a statement.

Dr Tveit described the massacre as "morally and ethically unacceptable", and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

He said that the number of people killed, wounded or displaced in the violence of the last year had reached an "unbearable" level.

"The government of Syria, as all governments, has an obligation to protect its own citizens, and to protect their fundamental human rights and freedoms," he said.

"The WCC urges the international community to fully support the UN efforts to bring peace and to put an end to the cycle of violence."