Roadside bomb explodes near UN convoy in southern Syria, injuring 8

Damascus, May 9 (Xinhua-ANI): A roadside bomb went off Wednesday close to the passage of a convoy of UN observers heading to Syrian 's southern province of Daraa, injuring eight accompanying security personnel, including a first lieutenant, witnesses and media said.

The bomb was detonated at the Othman area en route to Daraa. So far, there has been no reports of casualties among the observers.

Witnesses told Xinhua that the bomb was meant to hit the security vehicle accompanying the UN delegation, adding that the observers examined the targeted vehicle and left the scene.

Despite the observers' presence in Syria, the violent acts persisted as reports of bombing, killing and kidnapping have grabbed the headlines of Syrian media.

The UN-Arab League joint envoy Kofi Annan expressed Tuesday " profound concern" that with the ongoing violence, Syria might descend into a full-scale civil war.

The International committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday described the fighting in Syria as an "armed conflict."

The Syrian government says the 14-month unrest in Syria is the work of armed groups backed by foreign plot rather than popular will. (Xinhua-ANI)