Obama warns Syria's Assad not to use chemical weapons

[NewsCaster]

A dramatic report from northern Syria shows how rebels control much of the countryside but remain locked in deadly battle with government forces who have the fire power. Some displaced civilians have taken refuge in the ruins of one of the Dead Cities of Syria, the ancient city Serjilla,  abandoned around 1600 AD.   NBC's John Irvine reports. By Catherine Chomiak, NBC News and wire servicesPresident Barack Obama warned Syrian President Bashar Assad Monday that the use of chemical weapons by the regime would be "totally unacceptable."

"The world is watching," Obama said.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld "The  use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable and if you  make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be  consequences and you will be held accountable," he added.

U.S. officials told NBC News that the Syrian regime had ordered Syria’s military chemical corp to “be prepared.” The officials stressed the directive was not an order to use chemical weapons and did not come from Assad directly, but that order and a considerable increase in activity around Syria’s chemical weapons sites have raised serious concerns.

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