{"id":8898,"date":"2022-11-29T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/un-envoy-warns-against-worrying-and-dangerous-military-escalation-in-syria\/"},"modified":"2022-11-29T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T12:00:00","slug":"un-envoy-warns-against-worrying-and-dangerous-military-escalation-in-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=8898","title":{"rendered":"UN envoy warns against \u2018worrying and dangerous\u2019 military escalation in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Mr. Pedersen feared the ramp-up in military operations has the potential to unravel a strategic stalemate in the war that has brought relative calm for almost three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Escalatory dynamics\u2019\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\u201cIn repeated briefings, I have warned of the dangers of military escalation in Syria. I am here in person today to tell you that escalatory dynamics are taking place<\/strong>, and this is worrying and dangerous,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He reported that in recent months, mutual strikes have slowly increased in the north between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on one side, and T\u00fcrkiye and armed opposition groups on the other, with the violence spilling over the border.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following a deadly bombing in Istanbul earlier this month, T\u00fcrkiye launched airstrikes on what it said were terrorist targets across northern Syria and Iraq. \u00a0SDF strikes on Turkish forces, and armed opposition-controlled areas and inside Turkish territory, also were reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Deeply worrying\u2019 trend \u00a0<\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, deadly pro-Government air and ground-based strikes have occurred in Idlib, in northwestern Syria \u2013 the last area where rebel groups hold sway – hitting camps that host internally displaced persons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reported terrorist attacks also were carried out against Syrian forces in Government-controlled areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Furthermore, strikes attributed to Israel hit Damascus, Homs, Hama and Latakia, prompting Syrian Government anti-aircraft fire in response. \u00a0There also were reports of airstrikes on the border between Syria and Iraq, among other incidents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trend lines are deeply worrying, and carry real dangers of further escalation<\/strong>,\u201d Mr. Pedersen told the Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me therefore call loudly and clearly on all actors to restrain themselves and engage in serious efforts to reinstate the calm, move towards a nationwide ceasefire and a cooperative approach to counter-terrorism in line with international humanitarian law.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n

\u00a9 UNICEF\/Delil Souleiman<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

A mother in Raqqa city, Syria, collects medicine for her children suffering with diarrhoea and also receives instructions on how to sterilize water to guard against cholera.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Building stakeholder confidence\u00a0<\/h2>\n

In the interim, Mr. Pedersen continues to work with stakeholders to promote what he called \u201cstep-for-step confidence building measures\u201d towards a Syrian-led political process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also will further engage with the Government during a visit to Damascus next week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, the UN envoy lamented that the Syrian Constitutional Committee has not met for six months, noting that it is the only process that brings together representatives nominated by the Government, opposition, and civil society.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe longer it lies dormant, the harder it will be to resume. And the absence of a credible political process can only promote further conflict and instability,\u201d he remarked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018A fork in the road\u2019\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Addressing the overall situation in Syria, Mr. Pedersen worried that \u201cwe are at something of a fork in the road\u201d, given the potential for a resumption of major military operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI fear what this would mean for Syrian civilians, and also for wider regional stability. And I equally fear a scenario where the situation escalates in part because there is today no serious effort to resolve the conflict politically<\/strong>,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He outlined steps for the way forward, which include stepping back from escalation and restoring relative calm on the ground, as well as resuming the Constitutional Committee meetings in Geneva.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Surge in needs\u00a0<\/h2>\n

This approach also calls for action on the humanitarian front. More Syrians need aid relief each year to survive, according to UN relief chief Martin Griffiths, who also briefed the Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect to see a surge in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance from 14.6 million<\/strong> this year to over 15 million<\/strong> in 2023,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Building on the Special Envoy\u2019s remarks, Mr. Griffiths reported that the recent hostilities in the north have had a detrimental impact on civilians and critical civilian infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLike Geir\u2026I am equally horrified by the most recent murders reported in Al Hol camp of two girls, who were 12 and 15 years old. Life there is a misery, but their death there is a tragedy,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Struggling to survive\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Mr. Griffiths reminded ambassadors that northern Syria continues to face a water crisis brought on by factors such as insufficient rainfall, severe drought-like conditions, damaged water infrastructure, and low water levels in the Euphrates River.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current rapid spread of cholera<\/strong>, a waterborne disease, should therefore come as a surprise to no one. Nor should the fact that cholera has also seeped into Lebanon since, as we know only too well, diseases know no borders,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spiralling global food prices have also hit Syrians hard, and they are struggling to put food on the table, while another harsh winter is on the way, with millions of families living in tents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Syrians need peace\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The UN humanitarian chief underscored the importance of maintaining aid delivery to northwest Syria through cross-border operations from T\u00fcrkiye, which will expire by the end of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He emphasized the greater need for peace, highlighting the critical work of the UN Special Envoy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the people of Syria want is to see me go, and him arrive; to see the need for aid to disappear, and the arrival of peace<\/strong> to be celebrated among them, and shared by them,\u201d said Mr. Griffiths.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that, of course, is the principal task and raison d\u2019etre<\/em> of this Council, and we must hope that we will soon see these things happen.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Mr. Pedersen feared the ramp-up in military operations has the potential to unravel a strategic stalemate…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-middle-east"],"yoast_head":"\nUN envoy warns against \u2018worrying and dangerous\u2019 military escalation in Syria - Gulf Times | News by the minute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gulf Times: Latest news across the GCC from UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/feed\/view\/en\/story\/2022\/11\/1131157\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UN envoy warns against \u2018worrying and dangerous\u2019 military escalation in Syria\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gulf News| UAE's Largest News aggregator site\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/feed\/view\/en\/story\/2022\/11\/1131157\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gulf Times | News by the minute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/100084981843786\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-29T12:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/19-10-2022-UNICEF-UN0710304-Syria-cholera.jpg\/image1024x768.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"gulftimes\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Gulftimesuae\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Gulftimesuae\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"gulftimes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"UN envoy warns against \u2018worrying and dangerous\u2019 military escalation in Syria - 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