Ban has been a frequent critic of Assad over the conflict, which erupted in March 2011 with anti regime protests but soon escalated into a full-scale uprising in which more than 100,000 people have died, according to UN figures.
But the leader of Syria’s main opposition group said the West must not only attack Assad’s regime but oust him and put him on trial at the International Criminal Court.
Ahmad al-Jarba told the daily Le Parisien “Chemical Bashar has massacred our people on August 21. He must not escape the punishment he deserves.”
Chinese media warned the West against attacking.
In an editorial headed “No excuse for strikes”, the state-run China Daily said the US and its Western allies were “acting as judge, jury and executioner”.