Damascus, June 13 (ANI): Syria is now in a state of civil war and the government has lost control of 'large chunks' of cities, the United Nation's head of peacekeeping has said.

Asked whether he believed Syria was now in a civil war, Herve Ladsous said: Yes, I think we can say that.

Clearly what is happening is that the government of Syria lost some large chunks of territory, several cities to the opposition, and wants to retake control, The BBC quoted Ladsous, as saying.

Herve Ladsous made the comments after UN monitors in Syria were fired as they tried to reach the besieged town of Haffa.

Ladsous, UN Under-Secretary for Peacekeeping Operations, said the attack on the UN team near Haffa was deliberate.

According to the BBC, it is the first time a UN official has formally voiced such a view on Syrian deadlock.

The U.N. and the U.S. have warned of an alarming growth of violence in Haffa.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accused Russia for supplying attack helicopters to the Syrian Government. (ANI)