Merkel: Killing of civilians in Syria is a massacre

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday condemned the killing of civilians in Syria as a massacre, adding that Berlin would reach out to Russia in its efforts to stop the violence.

"What we currently see, the dreadful events in Syria, a regime fighting not against terrorists, but against its own people, the killing of children, the destruction of hospitals, all this is a massacre which needs to be condemned," Merkel said.

Merkel said that Berlin would discuss the war in Syria with Moscow. "We must do everything that is within our power so that this massacre comes to an end," Merkel added.

(Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Madeline Chambers)