Syria rebels say no longer committed to Annan plan

Syrian rebels are no longer committed to a UN-backed peace plan that has failed to end violence in the country and have launched attacks on government forces to "defend our people", a spokesman said on Monday.

"We have decided to end our commitment to this (plan) and starting from that date (Friday) we began defending our people," Major Sami al-Kurdi, a spokesman for the rebel military council, told Reuters, referring to a deadline of Friday they gave to President Bashar Assad to end violence or face consequences. (Reuters)