The Government in Syria has come under increased international pressure after the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approved an investigation into the mass killing of civilians at Houla last week. The UN Human Rights Council in its emergency meeting voted to condemn Syria over the killing of more than 100 civilians.

The 47-nation body approved a resolution with 41 votes in favour and three against it. Russia, China and Cuba voted against the US-backed resolution on Friday. Two countries abstained and one member did not vote.

The resolution blamed pro-regime elements and government troops for the massacre in the Houla region that sparked international outrage. India also voted in favour of the UNHRC resolution to order an independent probe to hunt those guilty of the massacre in Syria's Houla's city.

Explaining India's vote in favour of the resolution, Indian envoy to the Geneva-based Council said it was expected that the Commission of Inquiry would be able to identify those responsible for these heinous attacks and provide clarity on the events that led to it.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said thousands of people who fled the Houla massacre were now in urgent need of help. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent undertook a fact-finding mission to Houla. Marianne Gasser, the head of the ICRC delegation in Syria, said people left everything behind as they ran for their lives and most of the displaced are women and children.

The Arab League in the meantime has convened an extraordinary Ministerial-level meeting on the Syrian crisis in Doha today. Qatar Prime Minster Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jaber Al Thani will chair the meeting.