UN: Violence in Syria worse than before ceasefire

Violence is Syria is the same or worse than before April 12 when ceasefire came into effect, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The UN believes that forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad “may have carried out many of the killings in a massacre of more than 100 people in Houla in May”. UN: Violence in Syria worse than before ceasefire UN envoy in Syria Jean-Marie Guehenno told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the violence in the country had reached and exceeded the intensity of the conflicts before ceasefire. He assessed that it was obvious that UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point plan was not being respected. According to him, the government and rebels in Syria need to realize that there are consequences for failure to comply with the peace plan. Guehaenno announced that representatives of the world powers would meet with Annan on Saturday in Geneva in order to try to find a way to end the bloodshed. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov will attend the meeting. According to AP, it is possible that representatives of Syria’s neighboring countries will also take part in the meeting. The report was presented to the UN Security Council on Wednesday and the investigators claim that the government forces have been violating human rights “at an alarming level” in the last three months. The investigating team led by Paulo Pinheiro said it had been unable to determine who carried out a massacre of more than 100 people in Houla in May but that forces loyal to Assad may have carried out many of the killings. The team also listed multiple killings and kidnappings by armed opposition groups trying to topple Assad. “The situation on the ground is dangerously and quickly deteriorating," the 20-page report said. The UN investigators voiced concern that rebels were using children as medical porters, messengers and cooks, exposing them to risk of death and injury Fayssal al-Hamwi, a Syrian ambassador in Geneva, charged that the allegations against the government are "quite fantastic." (Beta) Tanjug

UN: Violence in Syria worse than before ceasefire

UN envoy in Syria Jean-Marie Guehenno told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the violence in the country had reached and exceeded the intensity of the conflicts before ceasefire.

He assessed that it was obvious that UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point plan was not being respected.

According to him, the government and rebels in Syria need to realize that there are consequences for failure to comply with the peace plan.

Guehaenno announced that representatives of the world powers would meet with Annan on Saturday in Geneva in order to try to find a way to end the bloodshed.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov will attend the meeting.

According to AP, it is possible that representatives of Syria’s neighboring countries will also take part in the meeting.

The report was presented to the UN Security Council on Wednesday and the investigators claim that the government forces have been violating human rights “at an alarming level” in the last three months.

The investigating team led by Paulo Pinheiro said it had been unable to determine who carried out a massacre of more than 100 people in Houla in May but that forces loyal to Assad may have carried out many of the killings.

The team also listed multiple killings and kidnappings by armed opposition groups trying to topple Assad.

“The situation on the ground is dangerously and quickly deteriorating," the 20-page report said.

The UN investigators voiced concern that rebels were using children as medical porters, messengers and cooks, exposing them to risk of death and injury

Fayssal al-Hamwi, a Syrian ambassador in Geneva, charged that the allegations against the government are "quite fantastic."