UN suspends observer mission activities in Syria due to escalating violence

UN observers in Syria have suspended their patrols and activities. The mission chief cites escalating violence in the Arab country, where both opposition and regime forces are striving for military gains rather than a peaceful resolution.

A spike in the bloodshed is derailing the mission "to observe, verify, report as well as assist in local dialogue and stability projects," says the head of the UN observers. The ability of the unarmed force to defuse a year-long conflict, which every day looks more like a civil war, is in doubt.

There appears to be a "lack of willingness" from Syria's government and opposition to seek peace, continued the leader of the contingent, Norwegian General Robert Mood. Instead the mission sees "a push towards advancing military positions."

"Violence over the past 10 days has been intensifying willingly by the both parties, with losses on both sides and significant risks to our observers," General Mood told reporters in Damascus.

The 300 observers will not be conducting patrols, says General Mood, but will stay in their locations in the country “until further notice.” The suspension will be reviewed on a daily basis, but the mission is still ready to resume its mandated activities when the situation in the country grows fit.

The suspension is the latest blow to international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition have both ignored the proposed ceasefire, which was supposed to go into effect April 12.

Russia still regards Annan’s six-point plan as a crucial factor in resolving the Syrian crisis, which is estimated to have taken over 10,000 lives in over a year. The UN monitors’ security should be a priority to all the parties to the conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Kofi Annan on Saturday.

UN observers in Syria were first attacked on June 13 as the mission was trying to enter the town of Al-Heffa. They had gone there after government troops overran the area near the Mediterranean coast, seizing it back from rebels after battles that raged for eight days. Locals threw stones at the UN vehicle and fired several shots. This prompted the UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous to say the crisis in Syria has grown into “a civil war.”