Obama calls on Syria's al-Assad to quit

US President Barack Obama led a chorus of calls by world leaders for Syria's president to step down, as the United Nations warned his regime could be guilty of crimes against humanity.

Obama also slapped harsh new sanctions on Syria, freezing state assets and blacklisting the oil and gas sector, in an escalation of pressure aimed at halting the regime's bloody crackdown on protests.

It was the first explicit US call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign since the pro-democracy uprising - inspired by the revolts that toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia - erupted in mid-March.

Activists and the United Nations say more than 2000 Syrians have been killed since then, as troops backed by tanks have assaulted several towns and cities.

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/obama-calls-on-syrias-al-assad-to-quit/story-e6frg6so-1226117888616