SWITZERLAND: There is a danger that Syria descends into a 'bloody, protracted sectarian civil war' says Kofi Annan's spokesperson Ahmad Fawzi

Record ID: 280840

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: There is a danger that Syria descends into a 'bloody, protracted sectarian civil war' says Kofi Annan's spokesperson Ahmad Fawzi
  • Date: 5th June 2012
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 4, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF U.N. BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) KOFI ANNAN'S SPOKESPERSON, AHMAD FAWZI, SAYING: "Houla was a turning point in this crisis. This has been recognised not only by the special envoy but by everybody following events in Syria. He told the Arab ministerial committee for Syria in Doha that he feels perhaps the time h
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVAB5Z0PVXA4NKKCJLN0EPUXHVYD
  • Story Text: Syrian rebels killed at least 80 army soldiers in a surge of attacks at the weekend, an opposition watchdog said on Monday (June 4), carrying out their threat to resume fighting if President Bashar al-Assad failed to observe a U.N.-backed ceasefire.
    The May 25 massacre of at least 108 people, nearly half of them children, in the Houla area of Homs province dealt a possibly fatal blow to envoy Kofi Annan's proposed ceasefire, which was supposed to take effect on April 12 but never did.
    A Free Syrian Army spokesman said the rebels were no longer bound by the truce after their Friday deadline passed.
    The spokesman for international mediator Kofi Annan said the conflict in Syria might have already developed into a civil war.
    "Civil war? Well, the special envoy Mr. Annan and many others have warned of the danger of Syria descending into a bloody protracted sectarian civil war. We may be there already. And we hope for the Syrian people, for the sake of the Syrian people we hope we're not there yet. But this is certainly a very unfortunate and bloody scenario that we are witnessing," said Ahmad Fawzi.
    The latest violence and a defiant speech by Assad on Sunday (June 3) raised questions about how long Annan can pursue his threadbare peace plan on behalf of the United Nations and the Arab League.
    But Fawzi said the Annan plan was the only possible way to resolve the Syrian crisis.
    "Annan believes that we can bring peace to Syria if the plan is implemented faithfully. There is no other option at the moment."
    Thousands of people have been killed in a crackdown on protests which erupted in March last year and have become increasingly militarised, destabilising neighbouring Lebanon and raising fears of regional turmoil.
    The United Nations says Syrian forces have killed more than 9,000 people in the crackdown. Syria blames the violence on foreign-backed Islamist militants it says have killed more than 2,600 soldiers and security force members.
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