U.N. official says ignoring Syrian conflict “a mistake”
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Any possible ignorance of the Syrian conflict would be a mistake, said U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Thursday during a U.N. Security Council briefing on Syria, warning about to the continued violence and unresolved conflicts.
At a U.N. Security Council briefing on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria, Pedersen said the Syrian conflict is not frozen.
“There are no signs of calm in any of Syria’s theatres — only unresolved conflicts, bubbling violence, and sharp flares of hostilities, any of which could be the kindling for a new conflagration,” he said.
He noted to the missile and drones strikes by the Syrian government forces, the attacks launched by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) in northwest Syria, Turkish drone strikes on Northeast Syria, clashes between local groups and the government forces in southern Syria, and the attacks carried out by ISIs sleeper cells in the Syrian Desert, in addition to the recent escalation between Iran and Israel on the Syrian territory.
The U.N. official expressed concern about the regional repercussions and the significant dangers of miscalculation and escalation, asserting the need for a regional de-escalation and urging all players to exercise maximum restraint and respect international law.
He reiterated his views regarding the Constitutional Committee saying that it “could be part of the path out of the conflict.” He suggested that sessions should resume in Geneva as a bridging option and for the parties to prepare on substance, including Constitutional proposals.
Pedersen also reiterated the need to implement the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015), emphasizing “The depth of the crisis in Syria calls for nothing less.”