Situation in Syria could deteriorate: UN envoy

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, April 29, 2021
Adjust font size:

UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen warned Wednesday that the situation in Syria could deteriorate despite the relative calm at present.

"I want today to sound a warning to all -- a warning to prioritize the proactive search for a settlement of the Syria conflict. Despite more than a year of relative calm by Syrian standards, this month reminded us of the potential for the situation to further disintegrate or rapidly deteriorate," he told the Security Council in a briefing.

There has been a significant escalation in northwest Syria. This included strikes on a UN-supported and UN-notified hospital in western Aleppo close to densely populated camps for internally displaced persons, and on the Syrian-Turkish border where UN cross-border humanitarian deliveries take place, as well as shelling on residential areas of western Aleppo city, he said.

On Thursday, airstrikes inside Syria were attributed by the Syrian government to Israel for the second time in a month. The Syrian government then activated its air defense system and Israel claimed that a missile emanating from Syria then struck Israeli territory. Israel said it then carried out further strikes inside Syrian territory, said Pedersen.

The Islamic State terrorist group continued to ramp up the scale and reach of attacks in central and northeast Syria. In one instance, cells reportedly kidnapped dozens of civilians from rural Hama, he said.

Afrin, Tell Rifaat and Ein Issa have all seen a steady rise in hostilities. Tensions in normally peaceful Qamishli flared into violent confrontation last week, causing civilian casualties and displacement. And the southwest remains perennially unstable, with abductions, killings, detention, widespread criminality and troop movements that bring the specter of imminent escalation, he said.

"It is all too easy to become immune to these kinds of developments -- and the dangers they could lead to. A nationwide cease-fire as per (Security Council) Resolution 2254 is essential, as is a cooperative approach to eradicating listed terrorist groups."

Pedersen also expressed concern about the economic situation in Syria.

While the Syrian pound recovered some value this month against a backdrop of Syrian government measures, food prices remain at historical highs and inflation has not abated. Some 12.4 million are now food insecure, an increase of 4.5 million in the last year alone. Fuel shortages remain a key concern as well, he said.

He stressed the fundamental importance of full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of Syria, through intensified cross-line and cross-border deliveries. He called on the Security Council to achieve consensus on the upcoming re-authorization of the cross-border aid delivery mechanism for Syrians. Enditem

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter