2024-07-24 07:00:09
“Syria remains in a state of deep conflict, complexity and disintegration,” said UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, warning that “Syrian refugees are facing worrying developments.”
The UN Special Envoy to Syria warned of “worrying developments” facing Syrians outside Syria, noting “worrying reports of attacks on Syrian refugees, which have sparked widespread violence.”
“Refugees are concerned about the possibility of being forcibly returned or pushed back through increasingly restrictive measures, and we are fully aware of the enormous predicament facing host countries and strongly call for their support,” Pedersen said.
He stressed the “importance of supporting Syrians who choose to return voluntarily, and putting an end to anti-refugee rhetoric and actions,” adding: “Syrians must be protected wherever they are, and efforts must continue to create conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return.”
In his video briefing to the Security Council, Pedersen said, “Syria is full of armed groups and terrorist groups listed on the Security Council lists, foreign armies and front lines,” he added, “The threat of terrorism is re-emerging in Syria with expectations of a doubling of attacks by ISIS militants this year, putting the lives of civilians there at risk.”
Pedersen added: “The threat of a regional conflict in Syria has not diminished, especially with the escalation of Israeli raids there.”
Pedersen urged the Security Council to continue Syrian-led peace negotiations with the participation of “key international actors,” in line with the resolution unanimously adopted by the Security Council in 2015.
“The Syrian conflict is ultimately a political conflict that can only be resolved when the Syrian parties are able to achieve their legitimate aspirations,” he said, adding that the recent legislative elections “are not a substitute for the political process stipulated in Security Council Resolution 2015.”
Israel has been attacking targets in Syria for years, but the pace of these strikes has escalated in recent months.
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2024-07-24 07:00:09