Ban, in a statement issued here by his spokesman, said he condemned the reported October 28 killing of dozens of civilians in Syria's Homs and Hama provinces, "adding to an alarming death toll of well over 3,000 people since the beginning of the protests seven months ago."

"The secretary-general believes the calls of the Syrian people for change must be answered with far-reaching reforms, not repression and violence," the statement said.

"He appeals for military operations against civilians to stop at once, and for the release of all political prisoners and those detained in connection to their participation in the popular protests," the statement said. "He emphasizes that violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately."

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem received a message late on October 28 from Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani, who led a AL ministerial committee, expressing the AL's anger at the alleged bloodshed in the country on October 28, reports said.

Xinhua