UN Monitoring
Mission Suspended Due To Violence Escalation
kl:11,09 17|06|2012 Sawtalkurd
Top Stories
- UN observers’ director announced the suspension of activities in Syria after increasing threats against the observers.
- Human Rights Watch announced that regime forces use rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, men and children.
- Damascus Chamber of Commerce member said that Syrian industrialists have received gas-import offers from Iraq, Iran, and Russia and that the first shipment will arrive soon on a Turkish carrier.
Top Videos
- Waer, Homs: Protesters conveyed their deepest condolences to Saudi King Abdullah on the death of his brother and Crown Prince Nayef Ben Abdul Aziz
- Damascus Suburb: Funeral procession of the fallen heroes who died in a massacre that claimed the lives of more than 25 people; 15 slaughtered by knives and the rest died as a result of the heavy shelling, P2
- Deir Azzour University: Outraged students burn Assad's photos in condemnation of his crimes, P2
- Homs: The city still under heavy shelling by artillery and attack helicopters, P2, P3, P4
Summary of Events
UN observers mission Director, Robert Mood, announced the suspension of the mission’s activities in Syria after increasing threats against the observers from the regime and the opposition’s lack of cooperation. Mood added that the observers will remain stationed in their assigned locations but will not be patrolling.
Human Rights Watch announced that regime forces use rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, men and children. HRW added that sexual assaults take place in detention centres and during raids on houses and invasions of residential areas.
Regime forces and Hezbollah militiamen committed a new massacre in the Damascus suburb of Saqba as they killed 13 civilians, nine of which were slaughtered by knives.
Regime forces killed at least 77 today; 43 fell in the heavy shelling of the army and the raids on the suburbs of Damascus, 13 in the province of Homs as the Army continued to shell the cities of Rastan, Talbiseh, Homs, and Qasir, and ten in the province of Idlib as the shelling was renewed on the cities of Maaret Noman and Idlib.
The regime’s violations continued throughout the country, as its forces shelled and opened heavy fire in the cities of Boukamal, Deir Azzour and Daraa, the towns of Qalat Madiq, Karak Sharqi and Dael, and the village of Ankawi. They also raided the villages of Zour Heesa and Zour Belhusain in the province of Hama and the town of Othman amid arbitrary arrests and sweeps. Meanwhile, the shelling continued in the cities of Indan, Hayan, Bayanoun, Atareb, and Bab and in the villages of Ibbeen and Kafar Karmain in the province of Aleppo.
In the capital, regime forces opened fire at demonstrators in the neighbourhood of Nahar Aisha while explosions were heard in the neighbourhood of Mazeh. Regime forces intensified their military campaign against the suburbs of the capital as they opened heavy fire in Mashrou Dummar, Zamalka and Jedeidet Artouz, while shelling Misraba, Kafarbatna, Qodseya, Douma, Irbeen, Tal, Zabadani, Harran Awamid, Saqba, and Harasta.
According to international media outlets, several Russian ships of the Black Sea fleet are on standby waiting for orders to depart to Syria. The ships are loaded with battalions from the Russian navy infantry.
Muhammad Orfali, Damascus Chamber of Commerce member, said that Syrian industrialists have received gas-import offers from Iraq, Iran, and Russia. Orfali added that the first shipment will arrive soon on a Turkish carrier.