WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is telling the Syrian people that the U.S. stands with them following a brutal attack that Syrian activists say killed at least 200 people.

Obama reiterated his call for Syrian President Bashar Assad to leave power. In a harshly worded statement, Obama says Assad has lost legitimacy and has "no right" to stay in power.

Obama condemned this weekend's violence. He says the regime's policy of terrorizing its people "only indicates its inherent weakness and inevitable collapse." Obama also called on the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution calling on Assad to leave power.