Geir Pedersen, the UN’s special envoy for Syria, has warned that the conflict “has not ended” even after the dramatic ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north.
The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) rebels have been involved in clashes with the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Pedersen also called at the UN Security Council for Israel to “cease all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan.”
“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. Such an escalation could be catastrophic.”
Geir Pedersen
The comments come after Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that toppled the Assad regime, said that all rebel factions would “be disbanded and the fighters trained to join the ranks of the defence ministry.” The HTS group are Syria’s new de-facto rulers.
Pedersen said that he had met with the new leadership and has called for an end to sanctions to allow for reconstruction of Syria.
Also, he emphasized the need for a credible political process and noted the importance of Resolution 2254 and its adaptation to the new circumstances.
Resolution 2254, adopted in 2015, calls for a Syrian-led political process facilitated by the UN to establish a credible, inclusive and non-sectarian government, as well as setting a timeline and process for drafting a new constitution.
“Concrete movement on an inclusive political transition will be key in ensuring Syria receives the economic support it needs. There is a clear international willingness to engage.”
Geir Pedersen
Additionally, the UN’s special envoy for Syria, also said that Israel had conducted more than 350 strikes on Syria following the departure of the former regime, including a major strike on Tartous. “Such attacks place a battered civilian population at further risk and undermine the prospects of an orderly political transition,” he said.
Israeli air raids hit bases, heavy weapons, sites associated with the former Assad regime’s missile and chemical weapons programme, and destroyed Syria’s small naval force in port of Latakia.
Pedersen Urges Protection Of Evidence In Syria
Moreover, Pedersen urged organizations to protect evidence and material related to war crimes, including sites of mass graves to secure justice for Syrian victims.
Pedersen said at a UN Security Council session on Syria, “We must safeguard the right of the victims and their families and survivors to both truth and justice,” as he stressed the need for “the immediate release of all those still detained arbitrarily across the country.”
With the fall of the Bashar Assad regime, he said that there is a great hope that Syria now has a real chance to move towards peace, economic stability and growth, inclusion for all Syrians, and accountability and justice.
He urged the protection of transitional justice mechanisms, including clarifying the fate of the missing and disappeared. “Without this, Syria and Syrians will not be able to heal,” he said.
Pedersen highlighted the immense challenges facing Syria, which has been devastated by 13 years of conflict.
“Syria’s economy has been ravaged by this dreadful conflict. Its infrastructure destroyed. 90% of Syrians living in poverty. These are enormous challenges that will require all of the support.”
Geir Pedersen
He urged not just humanitarian aid but economic development, reconstruction and a resolution to end sanctions.
He further stressed that stability in Syria can only be achieved if it is built on inclusive and credible foundations, adding, “The time to build those foundations is now.”
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