Obama condemns 'outrageous' violence in Syria

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama condemned Syria's "outrageous" use of violence after rights groups said government forces had killed more than 70 people in bloody protests.

Obama also dismissed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's move to scrap the emergency rule imposed by the ruling Baath Party when it seized power in 1963 and allow for peaceful demonstrations as "not serious" in light of the violence against protesters.

"The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of force by the Syrian government against demonstrators. This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now," Obama said in a statement.

"The Syrian government's moves yesterday to repeal Syria's decades-old emergency law and allow for peaceful demonstrations were not serious given the continued violent repression against protesters today," Obama added.