“In repeated briefings, I had warned of the dangers of military escalation in Syria. I am here in person today to tell you that escalatory dynamics take place , and this is worrying and dangerous, ” he said.
‘Escalatory dynamics’
“The longer it is situated dormant, the harder it will be to resume. And the lack of a credible political process can only promote further discord and instability, ” he remarked. Addressing the overall situation in Syria, Mr. Pedersen worried that “we have something of a fork within the road”, given the potential for some sort of resumption of major uniform operations. “And that, of course , is the principal challenge and logique d’etre about this Council, and we must hopefulness that we will soon see this stuff happen. ”
‘Deeply worrying’ trend
Mr. Pedersen feared the ramp-up in military operations has the potential to unravel a strategic stalemate within the war that has brought relatives calm for almost three years. He emphasized the greater need for peace, showing the critical work of your UN Special Envoy. “The current rapid spread of cholera , a waterborne disease, should therefore come as a surprise to no one. Nor should the fact that cholera has also seeped into Lebanon since, we all know that only too well, problems know no borders, ” he said. “We expect to see a surge in the number of people needing humanitarian assistance from 14. 6 million dollars this year to help over fifteen million throughout 2023, ” he reported. He will also further engage with the Government during a visit to Damascus next week.
Building stakeholder confidence
Carrying out a deadly bombing in Istanbul earlier this month, Türkiye launched airstrikes on what it said were terrorist goals across northern Syria and Iraq. SDF strikes on Turkish forces, plus armed opposition-controlled areas and inside Turkish territory, furthermore were reported. A mother in Raqqa city, Syria, collects medicine on her children suffering with diarrhoea and also receives instructions on how to sanitize water to guard against cholera. At the same time, deadly pro-Government air and ground-based strikes have occurred in Idlib, in northwestern Syria – the last area where rebel groups hold sway – hitting camps that host internally displaced persons. “What the people of Syria want is to see my family go, and him look; to see the need for aid to disappear, and the arrival of serenity to be famous among them, and shared by way of them, ” said Mister. Griffiths.
Mr. Griffiths reminded ambassadors that n . Syria continues to face some sort of water crisis brought on by factors such as insufficient rainfall, serious drought-like conditions, damaged standard water infrastructure, and low fluids levels in the Euphrates Riv.
‘A fork in the road’
“Like Geir…I am equally terrified by the most recent murders described in Al Hol camp of two girls, who have been 12 and 15 years of age. Life there is a misery, but their death there is a tragedy, ” he added. He outlined steps to the way forward, which include moving back from escalation and even restoring relative calm in the grass, as well as resuming the Constitutional Committee meetings in Geneva. Building on the Valuable Envoy’s remarks, Mr. Griffiths reported that the recent hostilities in the north have had a negative impact on civilians and essential civilian infrastructure.
Surge in needs
Reported terrorist attacks also were performed against Syrian forces within Government-controlled areas. “The trend lines are deeply worrying, and carry real problems of further escalation , ” Mr. Pedersen informed the Council. This approach also calls for move on the humanitarian front. Even more Syrians need aid relief each year to survive, according to UNITED NATIONS relief chief Martin Griffiths, who also briefed this Council. In addition, strikes attributed to Israel hit Damascus, Homs, Hama and Latakia, prompting Syrian Govt anti-aircraft fire in response. There also were reviews of airstrikes on the border between Syria and Iraq, among other incidents.
Stressed to survive
“I are scared what this would mean to have Syrian civilians, and also pertaining to wider regional stability. And I equally fear a state where the situation escalates simply because there is today no serious effort to fix the conflict politically , ” he said. In the interim, Mr. Pedersen continues to work with stakeholders to promote what he known as “step-for-step confidence building measures” towards a Syrian-led political process. Spiralling global food prices have also hit Syrians hard, which are struggling to put food on the table, while another harsh cold weather is on the way, with many families living in tents.
Syrians need peace
“Let me therefore call fully and clearly on many actors to restrain themselves and engage in serious efforts to reinstate the relaxed, move towards a countrywide ceasefire and a cooperative method of counter-terrorism in line with international humanitarian education law. ” © UNICEF/Delil Souleiman The UN humanitarian chief underscored the importance of maintaining aid delivering to northwest Syria with cross-border operations from Türkiye, which will expire by the end for the year. He or she reported that in recent months, mutual strikes have slowly improved in the north between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on a single side, and Türkiye and armed opposition groups for the other, with the violence dripping over the border.
