Washington, Apr 19 (AP) The United States will oppose Syria's candidacy to the United Nations' top human rights body, an official has said, calling the Arab country's attempt to gain a seat in the organisation "hypocritical" while it uses violence to try to silence protests against President Bashar Assad's authoritarian regime.

The diplomatic push against Assad's government comes as thousands of Syrians continue to demonstrate for democratic reforms. Human rights groups say more than 200 have been killed by security forces in a month of protests.

A State Department official said yesterday the Obama administration thinks it would be "inappropriate and hypocritical" for Syria to be elected to the UN's Human Rights Council while suppressing its people's demands for democratic reforms.

Syria is currently running unopposed to the 47-nation, Geneva-based body and is likely to gain a seat unless another Asian country contests the vote in late May.