At least 21 civilians have allegedly been killed in the latest violent attack reported in Syria. Local activists say the victims were shot dead by Syrian forces firing on a funeral procession in the province of Idlib. A convoy of U.N. monitors was also reportedly hit. At the United Nations, a U.N. spokesperson urged the Syrian government to accept international efforts to deliver aid to Syrians in need.

Martin Nesirky: “The joint special envoy (Annan) remains extremely concerned about the plight of a million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance, and he also strongly urges the government to accept the conditions for a scaling up of humanitarian assistance without further delay. And the joint special envoy also underlines the need for a speedy agreement consistent with the government’s commitment to allowing unimpeded access and provision of assistance to Syrians in need.”

In other Syria news, the Washington Post reports Syrian rebels have received a boost in weapons aid from foreign countries including the United States in recent weeks. Large shipments of arms have reportedly made it into rebel hands and have apparently helped them make gains on Syria’s military after months of setbacks. The weapons have been paid for by Persian Gulf countries and partly coordinated by the United States. U.S. officials say they have also expanded contacts with rebel forces to share intelligence.