United Nations monitors entered the Syrian hamlet of Mazraat al-Qubeir on Friday, where opposition activists say at least 78 people were massacred, a U.N. source said.

The U.N. observers had been trying to reach the tiny farming village of about 150 people since Thursday but had been shot at and turned back by both security forces and residents.

Source: Reuters

Commenting on the killings, Ribal Al-Assad, the Director of the ODFS, said:

“I condemn this heinous crime. There must be an independent UN investigation and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. Sadly it appears to be part of a series of evil acts carried out along sectarian lines, which are pushing Syria closer to an all out civil war. I call on both sides in the Syrian conflict to halt the violence and move towards dialogue and a peaceful transition as that is the only way forward.”