The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday urged the UN Security Council to condemn the rebels' attack on Thursday that killed 39 government supporters in the southern province of Daraa, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

"Armed terrorist groups committed a blood-curdling massacre in Daraa city on May 22, launching mortar shells that struck a residential neighborhood packed with citizens who gathered to show support to their homeland and condemnation of terrorism," the ministry said.

The Syrian government said that the rebels' mortar shelling, which targeted a gathering of supporters of President Bashar al- Assad in Daraa, killed 39 civilians, including women and children, and wounded 205 others, 14 in critical conditions.

"The new crime adds to a repulsive track record of terrorists backed by regional and international powers," the ministry said.

It also highlighted the resolve to defend the Syrians in tandem with pursing a political solution for the long-standing crisis.

"Syria demands the international community to issue an unequivocal and strong condemnation of the terrorist acts and the conduct of countries backing terrorism," the ministry added.

Mortar shelling has become a daily routine in the conflict-torn country where more than 150,000 people have been killed and over nine million displaced since the crisis broke out three years ago. Endi

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