Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Sunday voiced his deep concern over reports from Syria that hundreds of protesters have been killed or injured in the city of Hama and other towns across the country during the weekend.

He strongly condemned the use of force against the civilians and called on the Government of Syria to immediately halt the violence.

Ban reiterated that the Syrian authorities have an obligation to respect the human rights of the counhtry's people, including their freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly. He urged the Government to heed the legitimate aspirations of the population.

"The Secretary General reminds the Syrian authorities that they are accountable under international human rights law for all acts of violence perpetrated by them against the civilian population," said a statement issued his spokesperson.

According to media reports, Syrian security forces have killed dozens of people in Hama. Authorities said soldiers were sent to the city to remove barricades erected by the protesters.