2,200 people have been killed since the Syrian government's crackdown on protesters began in mid-March

2,200 people have been killed since the Syrian government's crackdown on protesters began in mid-March, the United Nations says.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay gave the new toll at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The UN previously put the number of dead at between 1,900 and 2,000.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that his government was in no danger of falling.

And he warned that any foreign military intervention would backfire on those who carry it out.

Navi Pillay opened the session by saying: "The gravity of ongoing violations and brutal attacks against the peaceful protesters in that country demand your continued attention."

She went on: "As of today, over 2,200 people have been killed since mass protests began in mid-March, with more than 350 people reportedly killed across Syria since the beginning of Ramadan.

"The military and security forces continue to employ excessive force, including heavy artillery, to quell peaceful demonstrations and regain control over the residents of various cities."

The meeting of the UN Human Rights Council was called by 24 states, including Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

It followed the publication of a report by UN investigators earlier this month which concluded that Syrian security forces were carrying out widespread human rights violations, which could constitute war crimes.

'Mere lies'
The 47-member forum - whose session started late because of microphone problems - is considering a draft resolution that "deplores the continuing indiscriminate attacks on its population" and seeks an immediate stop to "all acts of violence".





President Bashar al-Assad: ''The solution in Syria remains a political one''
The resolution also stresses the need to "urgently dispatch an independent international commission of inquiry... to investigate violations of international human rights law in Syria since July 2011".

Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, Syria's ambassador to the UN, defended his government and dismissed the allegations as "mere lies".

"Syria has been subjected to and continues to be subjected to an unprecedented misleading campaign carried by a number of countries in order to weaken Syria and to change its political position," he said.

He described the language used in the resolution as "hateful" and urged council members not to support it. "The resolution will only cause the crisis to lengthen and will only cause more instability," he said.

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says that while human rights council decisions carry moral authority, the UN has no power to enforce them.

Real pressure for regime change would have to come from the UN Security Council where at least one permanent member, Russia, remains opposed, our correspondent adds.

UN humanitarian visit
The US ambassador to the UN, Eileen Donahoe, has made it clear that the meeting is about more than simply condemning human rights violations.

"The purpose of today's session is to increase the pressure on the Assad regime, to get Assad to step down, and to allow the Syrian people to move forward," she said.

"President Obama has asked Assad to step down and allow the Syrian people to move towards a peaceful future. It is clear that Assad is isolated, and I think today's session will underscore that point."

But in Sunday's interview, Mr Assad remained defiant.

He said the solution in Syria was a political one, but violence should be dealt with firmly by the security forces, adding that steps were being taken to introduce a multi-party system and elections might be held in February.

But he warned that any attempt by foreign powers to intervene military "will have greater consequences than they can tolerate".

"First, because of Syria's geopolitical location and second because of Syrian capabilities," he said.

His comments came on the same day a UN delegation arrived in Syria to assess humanitarian needs.

The team has been told it can visit all trouble spots, but the BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says there is some scepticism about how free its movements will be.

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