A Free Syrian Army fighter carries his weapon as he walks past damaged buildings in the Arabeen neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Feb. 12, 2013.
UN Says Syria Death Toll Nearing 70,000
The United Nations says the death toll from nearly two years of fighting in Syria is nearing 70,000.
U.N. Human Rights commissioner Navi Pillay made the announcement in a statement to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. Pillay announced just last month that the toll had reached 60,000.
The Security Council has been deadlocked on a response to the Syrian crisis, with permanent members Russia and China vetoing three resolutions against the Syrian government.
Meanwhile, Syrian activists say rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have captured a military air base in northern Syria, a day after seizing control of the country's largest hydro-electric dam.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday the rebels were in control of the al-Jarrah air base in Aleppo province. News services said the rebels seized for the first time a fleet of deployable warplanes, including MiG fighter jets.
The opposition Local Coordinating Committees said the air base was taken after fierce clashes with government forces. The group also reported fighting Tuesday at another military airport in Aleppo.
Photo Gallery:
The latest images from Syria
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.
