Pedersen: An immediate end to the violence in Daraa governorate is required

“There must be an immediate end to the violence in Deraa governorate, and humanitarian aid to reach those in need there must be ensured,” said Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy to Syria.

This came during a session of the UN Security Council on the developments in the Syrian crisis, during which he stressed that he is seeking to reach a sustainable agreement to end displacement and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need.

Pedersen added: “He is currently working to obtain assurances that the sanctions imposed on the Assad regime only serve to exacerbate economic misery.”

“We reiterate our calls to all parties to immediately end the violence and fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,” he told council members (15 countries).

“I am asking the key countries to work with me in exploratory discussions on a set of concrete, reciprocal steps that are carefully identified, implemented in parallel and verifiable,” Pedersen continued.

And he added: “We also seek to take practical and measurable measures that can achieve consensus within the Security Council and inside Syria.”

He explained that in the past months, the region witnessed an intensification of air strikes and shelling, which resulted in the killing of dozens of civilians, including children and women, and damage to infrastructure.

He considered that it is possible to find cooperation between the United States of America and Russia (the ally of the Syrian regime) in this regard.

The Daraa al-Balad region is witnessing violent bombardment by the Assad regime forces, which has resulted in the killing of dozens of civilians, including women and children, and the displacement of about 10,000 people.