As he said that the Syrian government has failed to protect civilians, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to act to stop violence in the crisis-hit country.

As he said that the Syrian government has failed to protect civilians, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to act to stop violence in the crisis-hit country.

"The Syrian government has manifestly failed to protect civilians and the international community has a collective responsibility to live up to the UN charter and act on its principles," Ban said during a visit to Croatia's Brijuni Island as part of a week-long Balkans tour.

The UN leader said he was "deeply distressed by the rising death toll and the number of people forced to flee their homes".

He also welcomed a vote at the UN Security Council a day earlier to allow what he considered a "final" 30-day mandate extension to  the troubled UNSMIS observer mission charged with overseeing a peace plan for Syria.

"The unanimous vote (Friday) on resolution 2059 is a constructive sign. Now the council must redouble efforts to forge the united way forward and exercise collective responsibility under the charter of the UN," Ban said.

"The extension of the UNSMIS mandate for only 30 days is a strong signal that the onus is above all on the parties, with the Syrian government in the first place who must stop the killings and the use of heavy weapons against population centres," Ban added.