SYRIA: While residents and activists report heavy fighting between rebels and government troops in the capital of an oil producing province in the east, a United Nations spokesman says all parties are receptive to the monitoring mission

Record ID: 280693

  • Title: SYRIA: While residents and activists report heavy fighting between rebels and government troops in the capital of an oil producing province in the east, a United Nations spokesman says all parties are receptive to the monitoring mission
  • Date: 7th May 2012
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MAY 6, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) CARS LEAVING U.N. OFFICES SIGN OUTSIDE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY (UNRWA) OFFICES CHIEF OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND SPOKESMAN FOR U.N. MISSION IN SYRIA, NEERAJ SINGH, TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND SPOKESMAN FOR U.N. MISSION IN SYRIA, NEERAJ S
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA71JL4IAVUTLGQ2RP79STJR241
  • Story Text: Residents and activists reported heavy fighting between rebels and government troops had erupted overnight in the capital of an oil producing province in eastern Syria -- the latest escalation of violence in a tribal area bordering Iraq, but the spokesman for the United Nations monitoring mission in Syria said all parties had been "receptive" to the presence of military observers in the country.
    Neeraj Singh, the chief of public information and spokesman for the U.N. mission in Syria, told reporters on Sunday (May 6): "What we have seen is that all the parties, from all the sides, have been very receptive of the military observers' presence. We have heard strong words of commitment to our mission from the sides and what we are trying to do on the ground is first to observe and what the military observers will report is only what they see and what they can verify."
    "So our mission here is focused on ensuring that there is full and sustained cessation of violence in all its forms by all the parties. We are also in the process observing and reporting what we see on the ground and that's exactly what you will see the military observers doing there. The total strength of the mission as of now is about 70, which includes about 40 military observers -- 39 to be precise military observers -- and also the civilian support staff," Singh added.
    Meanwhile, rebels armed with rocket-propelled grenades had attacked tank positions in the eastern sector of the city of Deir al-Zor on the Euphrates river, in response to an army offensive against several towns and villages in the province that have killed tens of people in recent days, they said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register