Syria, August 3: The UN General Assembly is due to vote on a resolution that condemns the Security Council for failing to stop the violence in Syria.

The text is not legally binding but is intended to increase pressure on the council to take action. Russia and China have blocked attempts at the UN to impose sanctions against Damascus.

The vote follows the resignation of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, whose peace plan failed to end the bloodshed.

Announcing his decision on Thursday, Mr Annan said growing violence had made his job untenable, but also hit out at “continuous finger-pointing and name-calling” at the UN Security Council, which he said had prevented any consensus on action.

The Syrian government expressed “regret” at Mr Annan’s decision to stand down.

Activists say 170 people died across the country on Thursday, including in Syria’s biggest city, Aleppo, where government forces have been trying to reclaim areas seized by the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

More than 50 people were said to have died in Hama, south of Aleppo.

Activists say more than 20,000 people – mostly unarmed civilians – have died in 17 months of unrest.