UN bid to refer Syria to ICC vetoed

Russia and China block resolution to refer Syria to International Criminal Court for possible prosecution of war crimes.

Russia and China have vetoed a UN resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court for possible prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's three year civil war.

The move on Thursday was the fourth time Russia and China have blocked UN Security Council action on Syria. Moscow is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Powell, accused the Russians of providing diplomatic protection to the Syrian government "no matter what it does".

More than 150,000 people have been killed during the Syrian conflict.

There were 62 co-sponsors of the French-drafted resolution, diplomats told the Reuters news agency.