Damascus: The United States has praised the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for dismissing Syria from the 57-member bloc.
Hailing the move, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland has reportedly said the OIC decision sends a "strong message" to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and reflects its increasing international isolation.
Notably, the suspension comes as the United Nations Security Council plans to hold a session to discuss the situation in Syria.
The mandate for the U.N. observer mission in the country expires Sunday.
U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos told reporters in Damascus that as many as 2.5 million Syrians are in need of assistance because of the violence.