U.S., Western Nations Expel Syrian Diplomats

U.S., Western Nations Expel Syrian Diplomats

A Syrian rebel walks in Khaldiyeh neighborhood in Homs province, central Syria.

The United States joined several Western countries Tuesday in kicking out Syrian diplomats following a massacre of more than 100 villagers in the country, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. joined a slew of countries kicking out their Syrian envoysâ€"including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia and the Netherlandsâ€"when it pushed out the top diplomat of the Syrian embassy in Washington in protest of Friday's massacre.

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More than 100 villagers were killed in a central Syrian village known as Houla, including 49 children and 34 women, the U.N. reported. Most of the victims were executed in their homes by armed, pro-goverment civilians, not killed by Syrian soldiers' heavy artillery bombardment as previously believed.

The coordinated effort by Western nations occurred as U.N. envoy Kofi Annan met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the country's escalating violence. The Security Council's decision to send Annan was part of its sharp condemnation of the Houla massacre and the apparent disregard for the peace resolution it brokered with Assad two months ago.

• Photos: Fighting in Syria Continues Past Ceasefire Deadline
• Read: Russia FM: Both Sides to Blame for Syrian Deaths
• Read: U.N. Envoy Horrified by Massacre, 108 Dead

Seth Cline is a reporter for US News and World Report. You can contact him at scline@usnews.com or follow him on Twitter.