The head of the UN Oberservers in Syria is stating that neither side in the country’s civil war is willing to have a peaceful transition and that violence is increasing.
“Violence over the past 10 days has been intensifying,” Major General Robert Mood said at a Friday press conference. “[There is] a push toward advancing military positions.”
General Mood said the UN is focusing on the civilians in the country and trying to make sure their pain and suffering is addressed. Continue reading
The head of UN peacekeeping has declared that Syria is now in a state of civil war.
“Clearly what is happening is that the government of Syria lost some large chunks of territory,” Herve Ladsous told reporters outside the UN in New York. Asked by a reporter if Syria was in a state of civil war, Ladsous said “Yes, I think we can say that.” Continue reading
UN observers and at least one BBC reporter have found evidence of a massacre in the Syrian city of Qubair. Reports of the massacre leaked out from various rebel sources but government troops had been blocking access by the UN to the town.
On Thursday, reporters and UN officials came under fire when they attempted to enter the town. Continue reading
UN monitors are being blocked from the site of an apparent government-led massacre of 78 people by Syrian army forces. Mission commander Robert Mood said the Syrian army is stopping UN staff at checkpoints and turning them back before reaching the city of Qubair. Activists report government troops bombarded Qubair, a village of less than 30 houses, located 12 miles northwest of Hama. Continue reading
The High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations has stated that the massacre of over 100 civilians in Houla, Syria by government affiliated forces could amount to a crime against humanity.
The international community needs to “make all efforts to end impunity and ensure the accountability of perpetrators,” Navi Pillay stated. Continue reading
The UN has issued a report stating that the Syrian Army is responsible for the most serious human rights abuses in the nation since March 2012.
The report listed many “unlawful killings” conducted by Syrian military forces to stop anti-government demostrations in Idlib, Hama, Damascus and four other cities & numerous villages.
The report said that “too often the civilians born the brunt of the violence” between government and opposition forces. Continue reading
A suicide bomber killed nine people near the Zein al-Abidin mosque in Damascus as reports continue to filter out to the world that the Syrian cease fire may not be holding firm.
Twenty people were also injured in the blast, the first of two that hit Damascus on Friday. The second blast happened in an industrial area with no reports of casualties. Continue reading