• At least 11 people are killed nationwide Sunday, an opposition group says
  • The United Nations says its observers will not conduct patrols until further notice
  • Escalating violence is limiting the monitors' ability to observe and verify reports, it says
  • Syria blames the violence uptick on "armed terrorist groups"



(CNN) -- Syrian opposition activists slammed the United Nations on Sunday for suspending its observer mission in the nation, saying it is "unjustifiable and unacceptable" for the international community to fail to protect civilians from attacks.
The United Nations said Saturday it is pulling back its unarmed monitors because escalating violence is limiting their ability to observe and verify reports, a major blow to a proposed peace plan.
The peace plan, brokered by international special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, had become a symbol of hope for civilians under constant attacks during the 15-month uprising. Annan's plan included a provision for the warring sides to lay down their weapons.
"The decision of the U.N. supervision mission in Syria to suspend the monitoring mission represents a failure of ... the international community to effectively and responsibly deal with the situation in Syria," the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said in a statement.
Violence has escalated in recent days, exacerbating an already risky situation for the about 300 monitors, said Gen. Robert Mood, who heads the U.N. supervision mission in Syria.
Observers will no longer conduct patrols and will stay in their locations until it is fit for them to resume their mandated activities, he said.
The U.N. sent its monitors to ensure that government and opposition fighters are abiding by the cease-fire and other elements of the peace plan.
However, both parties are not willing to seek a peaceful transition, leading to a rising death toll, including women and children, Mood said.
As the U.N. monitoring mission remains in limbo, more violence erupted Sunday, opposition activists said. At least 11 people were killed, including five in the capital of Damascus, according to the LCC.
Opposition members decried the timing of the mission's suspension and accused the international community of not having a game plan to help Syria, saying that only emboldens the regime.
"In the absence of any vision to push for an improvement in the situation, the current decision allows for more bloodshed and enables the regime to buy more time under international cover," the LCC said.
Syria blamed the uptick in violence -- and the decision to suspend the U.N. mission -- on "armed terrorist groups," a stance it has held consistently.
Syrian opposition groups estimate that more than 12,000 and 14,000 people have died since President Bashar al-Assad's government started cracking down on anti-government protesters last year.
There was a slow-down in killings when the cease-fire went into effect on April 12. But the pace picked up again, and the violence has soared in recent days with reports of heavy government bombardment on cities and chilling massacres of civilians.
U.N. monitors witnessed the aftermath of some recent violence. For example, some entered the town of Houla a day after opposition activists reported a slaughter there. They also arrived in Qubeir after an alleged massacre there, though they were late after being turned back at checkpoints.
A few days ago, U.N. teams were turned back as they tried to reach al Haffa, which had been under bombardment for eight days. By the time the monitors arrived, the town lay charred and deserted, with an overwhelming stench of death.
On some occasions, the monitors have come under fire.
In the United States, the Obama administration has renewed calls for the regime to uphold its commitment to the peace plan.
U.S. officials are working with allies "regarding next steps toward a Syrian-led political transition" without al-Assad, according to Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the National Security Council.
"The sooner this transition takes place, the greater the chance of averting a lengthy and bloody sectarian civil war," he said.
CNN's Saad Abedine and Faith Karimi contributed to this report