SYRIA: U.N. observers head out to monitor Syrian truce, expect new members to join mission

Record ID: 280642

  • Title: SYRIA: U.N. observers head out to monitor Syrian truce, expect new members to join mission
  • Date: 24th April 2012
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (APRIL 23, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR SHERATON HOTEL SYRIA'S FLAG U.N. MONITORS GETTING OUT OF THE RESTAURANT CAMERAS AND REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAREEJ SINGH, U.N. OFFICIAL MEMBER IN THE ADVANCED TEAM IN SYRIA, SAYING: "You see, we have a task to do, and we are clearly focused on the task. As you can see Colonel Hamish and the team they are leav
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8G0DR904CRTBKT5AQXSF5W3O2
  • Story Text: U.N. monitors in Damascus headed out on a fresh field visit were expecting two more colleagues to join them on Monday (April 23, 2012).
    Nareej Singh, official member in the U.N. advanced team in Syria, said they were focused on their task.
    "Colonel Hamish and the team they are leaving again today for another day of field visits and to carry out all the work that is necessary to prepare for the deployment of the larger mission that has been sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council - The U.N. supervision mission in Syria - so as we have more update in the course of the day we will keep you informed."
    The U.N. Security Council agreed on Saturday (April 21) to increase the mission to a 300-strong observer team, part of U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's plan to halt the killing and launch a political dialogue between President Bashar al-Assad and opponents seeking his downfall.
    A small group of unarmed U.N. observers has been operating in Syria for a week, overseeing an 11-day-old truce agreement that has curbed some of the violence but failed to bring a complete halt to 13 months of bloodshed.
    Activists opposed to Assad said Syrian soldiers opened fire to prevent a crowd from meeting the U.N. observers in Hama's main square.
    Syrian TV aired video of U.N. monitors being approached by people in the streets of Hama on Sunday (April 22), as a demonstration in favour of Assad was held nearby.
    Hama is the city where Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, crushed an armed Islamist uprising 30 years ago, killing many thousands of people.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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