Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, has called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, saying that his government ic committing "crimes against humanity" every day, AFP reports.

"More than 5,000 killed, three million Syrians are affected by bloody repression, unspeakable abuse and daily crimes against humanity," Juppe told university students during a visit to Libya's capital.

"How many more victims does the world still need before it understands that  Bashar al-Assad must go? 

"For nine months, the Syrian people shouted with courage for freedom. For nine months, Bashar al-Assad has remained deaf to these legitimate demands, has refused reforms and has detained peaceful demonstrators for torture, killings and barbarism in response," Juppe said.

"Faced with this wild and murderous rampage, the international community must not remain silent," he added.