No US intervention in Syria: State Department

Washington: The US does not plan to use military force in Syria, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. Asked by reporters what the department`s reaction would be to Russia having "warned the West from intervening in Syria or creating a buffer zone or no-fly zone", Nuland said: "I think we`ve made clear what we`re looking at in terms of US support for the opposition." "We`re talking about non-lethal support. We`re talking about training. We`re talking about trying to help those in Syria who are trying to manage and provide for people in parts of Syria that have now been liberated from regime dominance," she said.

The Russian foreign ministry earlier called on Western countries to avoid military intervention in Syria. Recently, the emir of Qatar had called for Arab military intervention in Syria. The Syrian conflict has claimed up to 20,000 lives, according to estimates by various groups. The UN estimates the toll at over 18,000 people. The Syrian authorities say 8,000 have died. IANS