The Syrian government has denied the country is in a state of civil war, saying it is facing "an armed conflict to uproot terrorism," Belfast Telegraph reported.

The statement from Bashar Assad's regime comes a day after the UN's peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said the conflict had escalated into civil war.

The Syrian foreign ministry said his statements lacked objectivity and were inaccurate and "far from reality".

The statement added that authorities in Syria are confronting armed groups engaged in "killings, kidnappings and other terrorist acts".

Syrian authorities often refer to rebels fighting the regime in Syria as terrorists.