The Fort Worth Press - Syrian conflict 'has not ended': UN

USD -
AED 3.673024
AFN 70.172432
ALL 93.596763
AMD 393.041789
ANG 1.800333
AOA 912.388974
ARS 1020.504904
AUD 1.581155
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.70406
BAM 1.862259
BBD 2.016948
BDT 119.373851
BGN 1.862506
BHD 0.377073
BIF 2952.736413
BMD 1
BND 1.34945
BOB 6.903118
BRL 6.104964
BSD 0.998905
BTN 84.857227
BWP 13.647227
BYN 3.269126
BYR 19600
BZD 2.013521
CAD 1.431865
CDF 2870.00025
CHF 0.89278
CLF 0.035795
CLP 987.694157
CNY 7.285034
CNH 7.290375
COP 4345.53
CRC 502.832659
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 104.989788
CZK 23.884977
DJF 177.890978
DKK 7.10378
DOP 60.633183
DZD 133.958688
EGP 50.780902
ERN 15
ETB 126.863794
EUR 0.952285
FJD 2.323966
FKP 0.791982
GBP 0.787253
GEL 2.809664
GGP 0.791982
GHS 14.684402
GIP 0.791982
GMD 71.999716
GNF 8627.30536
GTQ 7.694212
GYD 208.997858
HKD 7.769585
HNL 25.353011
HRK 7.172906
HTG 130.59499
HUF 389.889357
IDR 16109.85
ILS 3.597195
IMP 0.791982
INR 84.903799
IQD 1308.665721
IRR 42087.501827
ISK 137.790182
JEP 0.791982
JMD 156.343728
JOD 0.709401
JPY 153.687502
KES 129.11027
KGS 87.000061
KHR 4014.205871
KMF 466.125033
KPW 899.999441
KRW 1435.769826
KWD 0.30756
KYD 0.832484
KZT 523.618636
LAK 21880.81715
LBP 89455.177339
LKR 290.849191
LRD 180.80457
LSL 18.059291
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.88836
MAD 9.991621
MDL 18.285431
MGA 4681.742442
MKD 58.59189
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3397.99987
MOP 7.993868
MRU 39.711497
MUR 46.5318
MVR 15.354668
MWK 1732.15901
MXN 20.18503
MYR 4.470281
MZN 63.900855
NAD 18.059377
NGN 1552.302967
NIO 36.761625
NOK 11.195399
NPR 135.774339
NZD 1.739887
OMR 0.384993
PAB 0.998924
PEN 3.733087
PGK 4.045549
PHP 59.018499
PKR 277.905356
PLN 4.065804
PYG 7809.56915
QAR 3.642111
RON 4.737802
RSD 111.384973
RUB 104.600537
RWF 1391.478219
SAR 3.757585
SBD 8.383555
SCR 14.111832
SDG 601.501169
SEK 10.955655
SGD 1.350598
SHP 0.791982
SLE 22.807217
SLL 20969.503029
SOS 570.911688
SRD 35.204999
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.740942
SYP 2512.530243
SZL 18.052845
THB 34.221498
TJS 10.913609
TMT 3.51
TND 3.170042
TOP 2.342098
TRY 35.013515
TTD 6.783244
TWD 32.517504
TZS 2353.744008
UAH 41.829374
UGX 3636.346324
UYU 44.531406
UZS 12856.231492
VES 50.47905
VND 25450
VUV 118.722003
WST 2.762788
XAF 624.572245
XAG 0.032842
XAU 0.000378
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.762009
XOF 624.572245
XPF 113.556078
YER 250.375051
ZAR 18.087765
ZMK 9001.196067
ZMW 27.695311
ZWL 321.999592
  • JRI

    -0.3800

    12.62

    -3.01%

  • BCE

    -0.2800

    23.58

    -1.19%

  • CMSC

    0.0000

    24.32

    0%

  • SCS

    -0.2600

    13.05

    -1.99%

  • NGG

    0.6100

    59.4

    +1.03%

  • AZN

    0.9500

    67.18

    +1.41%

  • GSK

    0.6500

    34.23

    +1.9%

  • RIO

    0.2000

    61.46

    +0.33%

  • RBGPF

    62.4900

    62.49

    +100%

  • BCC

    -3.1400

    133.11

    -2.36%

  • CMSD

    -0.0400

    23.93

    -0.17%

  • BTI

    -0.3500

    37.29

    -0.94%

  • RYCEF

    0.0600

    7.43

    +0.81%

  • RELX

    0.0400

    47.02

    +0.09%

  • VOD

    0.0600

    8.63

    +0.7%

  • BP

    0.1300

    29.08

    +0.45%

Syrian conflict 'has not ended': UN
Syrian conflict 'has not ended': UN / Photo: © AFP

Syrian conflict 'has not ended': UN

Syria's conflict "has not ended" even after the departure of former president Bashar al-Assad, the UN's envoy to the country warned Tuesday, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north.

Text size:

Geir Pedersen, the UN's special envoy for Syria, also called at the Security Council for Israel to "cease all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan" and said an end to sanctions would be key to assisting the country.

Speaking about Turkish-backed and Kurdish fighters, Pedersen warned "there have been significant hostilities in the last two weeks, before a ceasefire was brokered."

"A five-day ceasefire has now expired and I am seriously concerned about reports of military escalation," he said.

"Such an escalation could be catastrophic."

Shortly after Pedersen spoke, the United States announced it had brokered an extension of a ceasefire, to the end of the week, between pro-Turkish fighters and Syrian Kurds at the flashpoint town of Manbij.

Pedersen also said he had met with Syria's new de facto leadership following the rebels' lightning takeover, and toured the infamous Sednaya prison's "dungeons" and "torture and execution chambers," operated under Assad's government.

He called for "broad support" for Syria and an end to sanctions to allow for reconstruction of the war-ravaged country.

"Concrete movement on an inclusive political transition will be key in ensuring Syria receives the economic support it needs," Pedersen said.

- Humanitarian needs -

"There is a clear international willingness to engage. The needs are immense and could only be addressed with broad support, including a smooth end to sanctions, appropriate action on designations, too, and full reconstruction," Pedersen added.

Western countries are wrestling with their approach to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which spearheaded the takeover of Damascus, and has roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.

It has largely been designated in the West as a "terrorist" group, despite moderating its rhetoric.

The UN's new humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that the seismic changes on the battlefield in Syria had done nothing to alleviate the dire situation facing the country's people.

"Nearly 13 million people were facing acute food insecurity. The recent escalation has only added to these needs. More than a million people were displaced in less than two weeks," he told the Security Council.

Fletcher also confirmed he had met Syria's new rulers and was "pleased to report that they have committed to what will be an ambitious scaling up of vital humanitarian support."

He also raised the alarm over the intensifying violence in the country's northeast, warning of "its potential humanitarian fallout" and saying it was a "case for concern and warrants urgent attention and efforts for de-escalation."

- Israeli incursions -

Pedersen noted Israel had conducted more than 350 strikes on Syria following the departure of Assad's government, including a major strike on Tartus.

"Such attacks place a battered civilian population at further risk and undermine the prospects of an orderly political transition," he said.

US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield welcomed Assad's overthrow, but warned against the re-emergence of the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS.

"This is a historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better life after more than a decade of conflict and corruption. Their needs are extensive, and the United States is committed to mobilizing global support," she said.

"There is a strong international consensus that Syria must not be used as a base for terrorists such as ISIS, (which) requires securing detention facilities and displaced persons camps in northeast Syria," Thomas-Greenfield said.

Pedersen meanwhile warned against plans announced by Israel's cabinet to expand settlements inside the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967 and annexed in 1981.

"Israel must cease all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan, which are illegal. Attacks on Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity must stop," he said.

J.P.Cortez--TFWP