UN observers committed to staying in Syria

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The head of the U.N. observer mission in Syria says U.N. forces have come under fire recently but are committed to staying in the strife-torn country.

Maj. Gen. Robert Mood said Tuesday that questions about canceling the mission were premature and noted, "We are not going anywhere."

The U.N. said Saturday its 300 observers based in Syria were suspending all missions because of concerns for their safety after fighting intensified over the previous 10 days.

Mood spoke after briefing the U.N. Security Council during a closed meeting on the situation in Syria, where shelling and clashes between rebel fighters and government troops in Homs have continued.

Opposition groups say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.

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