UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned Syria for fresh assaults days ahead of a cease-fire deadline. Syrian rebels said government forces pounded three cities with gunfire, killing dozens.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned Syria for fresh assaults days ahead of a cease-fire deadline. Syrian rebels said government forces pounded three cities with gunfire, killing dozens. Ban "strongly condemns the latest escalation of violence," a statement from the secretary general's press office said. "He deplores the assault by the Syrian authorities against innocent civilians, including women and children, despite the commitments by the government of Syria to cease all use of heavy weapons in population centers."
"The 10 April timeline to fulfill the government's implementation of its commitments, as endorsed by the Security Council, is not an excuse for continued killing," it said.
Syria had agreed to a peace plan that includes a cease-fire and the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons from big cities by April 10. The plan, brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, has received the backing of the entire Security Council, including Russia and China, which had blocked two previous resolutions. "The Syrian authorities remain fully accountable for grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," Ban's statement said. "These must stop at once."
Rebels said that at least 27 people, including civilians, were killed in assaults on three cities by government forces on Friday. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Syria said the Syrian army has withdrawn forces from some areas ahead of the deadline, but has only moved its troops around in other areas.
Robert Ford said satellite images made before and after alleged pullouts showed some true instances of withdrawal. However, he said "the Syrian government simply moved some armored vehicles out of Taftanaz to the nearby town of Zirdana." Taftanaz is a village east of Idlib city in Idlib province.
Ford has posted the images on Facebook.
"The regime and the Syrian people should know that we are watching. The regime cannot hide the truth," Ford said.
DEUTSCHE WELLE
ncy, tj/acb (Reuters, AFP, dpa)
Syria had agreed to a peace plan that includes a cease-fire and the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons from big cities by April 10. The plan, brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, has received the backing of the entire Security Council, including Russia and China, which had blocked two previous resolutions. "The Syrian authorities remain fully accountable for grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," Ban's statement said. "These must stop at once."
Rebels said that at least 27 people, including civilians, were killed in assaults on three cities by government forces on Friday. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Syria said the Syrian army has withdrawn forces from some areas ahead of the deadline, but has only moved its troops around in other areas.
Robert Ford said satellite images made before and after alleged pullouts showed some true instances of withdrawal. However, he said "the Syrian government simply moved some armored vehicles out of Taftanaz to the nearby town of Zirdana." Taftanaz is a village east of Idlib city in Idlib province.
Ford has posted the images on Facebook.
"The regime and the Syrian people should know that we are watching. The regime cannot hide the truth," Ford said.
DEUTSCHE WELLE
ncy, tj/acb (Reuters, AFP, dpa)
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