UN concern about hostilities in the city of Qamishli, eastern Syria

The Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Syria, Imran Riza, and the Regional Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs for the Syrian Crisis, Muhannad Hadi, condemned the recent escalation of hostilities in Qamishli, and urged all parties to the conflict to “maintain the ceasefire and protect civilians in the first place.”

This came in a joint statement in which they expressed their concern about the recent hostilities in the city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria, and the impact of those hostilities on civilians.

“The flagrant disregard for civilian safety is inconsistent with international human rights law, and with obligations under international humanitarian law that all parties to the conflict must respect,” the two UN officials said.

The United Nations Special Envoy Geir Pedersen, in his briefing yesterday to the Security Council on the situation in Syria, warned of escalation in the country, saying: “Despite more than a year of relative calm according to Syrian standards, this month reminded us of the possibility of further disintegration or deterioration of the situation rapidly.”