But Lakhdar Brahimi says finding a solution is "nearly impossible." Kofi Annan, his predecessor as the United Nations and Arab League joint special representative on Syria, blamed "finger-pointing and name-calling" at the UN Security Council for hampering efforts to find a breakthrough in the conflict.

In an interview with British state radio, Brahimi also said he was "scared of the weight of responsibility" on his shoulders and called for more diplomacy.

With fighting on the ground showing no sign of stopping, his first day in office appears the same as the last of his predecessor Kofi Annan.

Over the last 24-hours rebels claim to have killed more than 20 government troops in Hama.

Although much of video that emerges is unverifiable, the scale of destruction in many cities is clear.

Residents of bombed-out neighbourhoods are increasingly blaming the air-force for blindly targeted them.

Climbing over chunks of concrete, Ahmed Dadikhi surveyed what used to be his brother's house. His brother and his four children are in a hospital in Turkey where they fled after their town was bombed.

"This person is not a terrorist. This is a children's room. What would the four girls do? They're not terrorists. He had a baby boy who's a year and a half. What more can I say?", he said.

Meanwhile, new figures from two activist groups claim about 5,000 people were killed in Syria in August, making it the deadliest month since the uprising began.

 http://www.euronews.com/2012/09/03/new-un-syria-envoy-says-mission-is-nearly-impossible/