UN Syria observer mission over, says Security Council

The United Nations has called an end to its military observer mission in Syria, days before its mandate expired.
A small, civilian office will be set up instead to maintain political contacts.
"The conditions to continue [the mission] were not filled," France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud said after a Security Council meeting.

The UN mission had been part of envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan. But continued violence made the observers' mission increasingly difficult.
A bomb exploded close to their hotel in Damascus on Wednesday. The observers' patrols were suspended in mid-June because of the "significant risk to their lives" and diplomats said the conditions for renewing their mandate - a halt to the use of heavy weapons and a reduction in violence - had not been met.