Ban: UN monitors shot at trying to reach massacre

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says U.N. monitors were shot at trying to get to the scene of the latest Syrian massacre.

The U.N. chief told the General Assembly on Thursday that the unarmed observers were initially denied access to the scene in central Hama and "were shot at with small arms" while trying to get there. He did not mention any casualties.

Ban said each day in Syria sees more "grim atrocities" and for many months it has been evident that President Bashar Assad and his government "have lost all legitimacy."

Ban said any regime that tolerates killings such as last month's massacre of more than 100 civilians in Houla and Wednesday's attack in Hama "has lost its fundamental humanity," and he condemned "this unspeakable barbarity."