Syria lodges complaint with United Nations

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DAMASCUS, Syria, March 5 (UPI) -- The use of weapons by insurgents in Syria is to blame for the deaths of military and law enforcement officials, the Syrian foreign ministry said.

Syrian officials say that they have been dealing with armed terrorists challenging the government's authority for roughly a year.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry, in a letter to the U.N. Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the international community was overlooking the role of domestic terrorism in the country.

"The use of arms by these groups has resulted in deaths and injuries among the law-enforcement members and the army, as well as destroying scores of public and private facilities, not to mention vandalizing oil and gas pipelines and railways," the letter, as published by the official Syrian Arab News Agency, reads.

Damascus said its "obliged" to take action to preserve the durability of the state and protect innocent civilians.

''Since when are terrorism and holding arms part and parcel of the opposition?'' the ministry asked.

Some governments have speculated on the need to provide weapons to the various rebel factions inside Syria.

U.N. officials said there is evidence to suggest high-ranking government officials in the Syria government have committed war crimes since the uprising began in March 2011. At least 7,500 people have died during the violence.