SYRIA: United Nations observers head to cities in west but the full resumption of their mission remains in doubt

Record ID: 280951

  • Title: SYRIA: United Nations observers head to cities in west but the full resumption of their mission remains in doubt
  • Date: 26th June 2012
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JUNE 25, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HOTEL WITH UN CARS OUTSIDE OBSERVERS OUTSIDE HOTEL ENTRANCE OBSERVERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER VARIOUS OF OBSERVERS PUTTING LUGGAGE IN CARS OBSERVER PUTTING ON FLAK JACKET VARIOUS OF OBSERVERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER VARIOUS OF OBSERVER CLEANING CAR WINDSCREEN OBSERVERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER U.N. CAR DRIVING AWAY V
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3T32CD0LXYCS37FOAU9E553LH
  • Story Text: United Nations observers in Syria left Damascus on Monday (June 25) after attending a regular assessment meeting.
    Two convoys headed to bases in Idlib and Tartous after reporting to mission headquarters in the Syrian capital.
    The observer mission, sent to monitor the situation in the country, suspended its full operations last week after coming under attack.
    Chief U.N. monitor, General Robert Mood, told the Security Council that his 300-strong unarmed observer force was repeatedly targeted by hostile crowds and gunfire at close range.
    The Norwegian peacekeeper blamed both Syrian government troops and rebels for the relentless conflict, in which President Bashar al-Assad's forces are trying to crush an increasingly well-armed insurgency which grew out of a 15-month-old wave of protests.
    He said the observer mission would only resume full operations if there were a significant reduction in the level of violence and both the Syrian opposition and government voiced their commitment to the observers' safety and freedom of movement.
    On Friday, Mood said the observers were no longer patrolling the more restive parts of the country, but said they were continuing to patrol local hospitals and assess the situation from their bases.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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