US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he has yet to make a decision on hitting Syria over horrific attacks last week that activists say killed hundreds of people and threatened to draw the West into the brutal 29-month conflict.
A Western bombing blitz had appeared imminent earlier this week, but US allies were increasingly reluctant to act before hearing the results of a UN chemical weapons probe.
Ban said the UN experts – on a third day of inspections of alleged attack sites near Damascus – would leave Syria by Saturday and report to him immediately.
He appealed to divided international powers to work together to head off military action against Syria, where the UN says 100,000 people have been killed and several million made homeless since the conflict erupted in March 2011.
“Diplomacy should be given a chance ... peace (should) be given a chance,” Ban said.
With any US-led missile strike unlikely to have UN Security Council backing, key Damascus allies Russia and Iran again warned against any Western intervention, saying it could set off a wider regional conflict.
Assad himself declared: “Syria will defend itself in the face of any aggression,” and said any attack would result in “victory” for the Syrian people.
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