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UN spokesman: no countrywide humanitarian crisis in Syria
August 27, 2011 - 14:22 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A UN investigative team has wrapped up its visit to
Syria, concluding that "there is an urgent need to protect civilians"
from excessive force, BBC reported.
The team, the first Syria has allowed in since a deadly crackdown on
protests began in March, said there was no countrywide humanitarian
crisis. The UN says more than 2,200 people have been killed in the
violence.
The UN Security Council is split over whether to impose sanctions
against Syria's leadership over the crackdown.
Syria had refused for months to allow a UN mission into the country to
investigate the violence. The government allowed the team in last
week, promising full and unfettered access.
"The mission concluded that although there's no countrywide
humanitarian crisis, there is an urgent need to protect civilians from
the excessive use of force," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.
But the promised free access did not materialize.
"The constant presence of government officials limited the mission's
ability to fully and independently assess the situation," Mr Haq said.
August 27, 2011 - 14:22 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A UN investigative team has wrapped up its visit to
Syria, concluding that "there is an urgent need to protect civilians"
from excessive force, BBC reported.
The team, the first Syria has allowed in since a deadly crackdown on
protests began in March, said there was no countrywide humanitarian
crisis. The UN says more than 2,200 people have been killed in the
violence.
The UN Security Council is split over whether to impose sanctions
against Syria's leadership over the crackdown.
Syria had refused for months to allow a UN mission into the country to
investigate the violence. The government allowed the team in last
week, promising full and unfettered access.
"The mission concluded that although there's no countrywide
humanitarian crisis, there is an urgent need to protect civilians from
the excessive use of force," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.
But the promised free access did not materialize.
"The constant presence of government officials limited the mission's
ability to fully and independently assess the situation," Mr Haq said.