'Friends of Syria' seek humanitarian access in days

The "Friends of Syria" group plans to challenge Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Friday to provide humanitarian access within days to civilians under assault by his forces, U.S. officials told reporters.

The officials, speaking before a "Friends of Syria" meeting expected to gather more than 70 nations and international groups in Tunis on Friday, did not specify specific consequences if the Syrian authorities failed to provide such access.

"One of the things you are going to see coming out of the meeting tomorrow are concrete proposals on how we, the international community, plan to support humanitarian organizations...within days, meaning that the challenge is on the Syrian regime to respond to this," said one senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.