فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, warned on Tuesday that the conflict in Syria “is not over yet” despite the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. Pedersen pointed to clashes in the north of the country between pro-Kurdish forces and pro-Turkish groups, emphasizing the gravity of the current situation.
Pedersen told the UN Security Council, “We have seen significant clashes over the past two weeks before a ceasefire was negotiated.” He added, “A five-day ceasefire has now expired, and I am gravely concerned about reports of military escalation,” warning that “such escalation could be catastrophic.”
The leader of the Kurdish-dominated forces controlling large areas of northeastern Syria had announced on December 11 a truce with pro-Turkish groups in Manbij, an Arab-majority area where fighting had killed 218 people in just a few days.
Pedersen reported that he met with the new Syrian leaders who overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s rule on December 8 in a lightning offensive. He also mentioned visiting the “dungeons” and “torture and execution chambers” at Saydnaya prison, located 30 kilometers north of Damascus.
The UN envoy called for lifting sanctions to allow for the reconstruction of the country devastated by thirteen years of civil war. He stated, “There is a clear international will to engage. The needs are immense and can only be met with broad support, including a gradual lifting of sanctions.”
On Tuesday, several foreign missions met in Damascus with the new Syrian authorities, dominated by radical Islamists, who are striving to reassure the international community about their ability to bring peace to Syria.
