Syria: Hillary Clinton says Russian policy risks civil war The continued slaughter of innocent people, both by the military and by militias supported by the government and increasingly by the opposition ... could morph into a civil war in a country that would be riven by sectarian divides, which then could morph into a proxy war in the region. Remember you have Iran deeply embedded in Syria - their military are coaching the Syrian military. The Quds Force, which is a branch of the military, is helping them set up these sectarian militias. "We know it actually could get much worse than it is," she said. A massacre last week of more than 100 people in the city of Houla, allegedly by government-backed forces, and the discovery of new execution-style killing since then has raised the pressure for international action. But Russia has adamantly refused to go against its close ally Syria with President Vladimir Putin warning Thursday that Moscow will not change its position under pressure. Russia's position is well-known. It is balanced and consistent and completely logical," Interfax quoted Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Meanwhile, an April 12 peace plan and truce negotiated by Annan to bring an end to the violence and usher in a political transition appeared in tatters, amid reports of fresh attacks by Syrian government forces on Houla, the site of last week's massacre. Syrian rebels have warned they will resume their defence of civilians if the government does not return to the peace plan by Friday. At a news conference with Danish Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal, Clinton said those responsible for the Houla massacre must be held to account and called on those within the regime who knew what was going on to stand up and speak out. Expanding on her earlier remarks about Russia, she said the United States was still focused on supporting Annan's efforts rather than going outside the United Nations. She said Washington was also "reaching out both inside and outside Syria, bringing together those that are more directly affected, particularly in the region." Many of her conversations over the next few days would be held "with particular attention paid to the Russians," she said. They are vociferous in their claiming that they are providing a stabilising influence. I reject that. I think frankly they are in effect propping up the regime.