Syria: UN monitoring chief ‘optimistic’ despite shelling of Homs

The UN report, compiled for its Human Rights Commission by a team of
investigators, said the humanitarian situation was “deteriorating”
and reported shelling in Homs, and the use of heavy weaponry and machine
guns elsewhere in the country.

It also singled out regular abuses by the rebels, saying: “The Commission
also continued to receive reports of human rights abuses committed by
anti-government armed groups engaged in fighting against the Syrian army
during and after the ceasefire, including extra-judicial killings of
soldiers captured during armed confrontations.”

Last night, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose
government drove the Arab League negotiations which led both to the first
peace plan, which collapsed in January, and the current one, gave a
startling estimate of “three per cent” as its chances of success.

He called for the opposition to be armed – though there is as yet little sign
that Qatar, which supplied the Libyan rebels, has sent weapons to the Syrian
opposition .

The Syrian National Council, the main opposition grouping, has offered its
support to the peace plan. But one member of its secretariat, Bassam Ishak,
told The Daily Telegraph: “I believe the regime is going to try to
manipulate them as it did with the Arab League observers.

“The regime will continue to exploit diplomacy to gain time and
opportunity to attack opposition and weaken it. That has become their
obvious tactic which has claimed the lives of thousands of Syria.”

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes