7/31/2019 Monitors smell 'burnt flesh' in Syria massacre village: UN

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Monitorssmell'burntflesh'inSyriamassacrevillage:UN

Jun9,2012

DAMASCUS:UNobserverssaidonFridaytheywitnessedbloodonthewallsand"astrongstenchofburntflesh"intheSyriamassacrevillageofAl-Kubeir,heighteningWesterncallsfortoughsanctionsagainstDamascus.

ThereportsofthegrimscenesintheHamaprovincetownwererelayedfromtheUnitedNationsinNewYorkasSyrianactivistsreportedmorekillingsovernight.

Twelvepeople,eightofthemwomen,werekilledbySyrianarmyfireinthesouthernflashpointtownofDeraa,theSyrianObservatoryforHumanRightssaid.

DiplomatsinNewYorksaidBritain,FranceandtheUnitedStateswouldquicklydrawupaSecurityCouncilresolutionproposingsanctionsagainstSyria."Wewillmovefasttopressforaresolution,"oneUNdiplomatsaid.

Morethan20unarmedUNobserverswereallowedintoAl-KubeironFriday,adayaftertheywereshotatandpreventedfromenteringthevillage.

"Insidesomeofthehouses,bloodwasvisibleacrossthewallsandfloors.Firewasstillburningoutsidehousesandtherewasastrongstenchofburntflesh,"UNspokesmanMartinNesirkysaidinNewYork,deliveringagrislyaccountofthe

visit.

Atleast55peoplewerekilledonWednesdayinanassaultonAl-Kubeir,accordingtotheSyrianObservatory.

UNofficials,unabletoconfirmthattoll,havemadeitcleartheybelievegovernmentforcesandallieswerebehindtheattackonthemainlySunniMuslimvillagesurroundedbyanAllawitepopulationloyaltoPresidentBasharal-Assad.

"Armouredvehicletrackswerevisibleinthevicinity.Somehomesweredamagedbyrocketsfromarmouredvehicles,grenadesandarangeofcalibreweapons,"Nesirkysaid.

PaulDanahar,aBBCcorrespondenttravellingwiththeUNconvoy,reportedseeingguttedbuildingsinAl-Kubeirandnosignoflifeorbodies.

"Infrontofmethereisapieceofbrain,inthecornerthereisamassoncongealedblood,"hewroteonTwitter.

Hequotedactivistsassayinggovernmentforceshadremovedvictims'bodiesonThursdaywhiletheUNobserverswerebeinghinderedfromreachingthevillage.

Accordingtopreliminaryevidence,troopshadsurroundedAl-Kubeirandmilitiaenteredthevillageandkilledcivilianswith"barbarity",UNchiefBanKi-moontoldtheUNSecurityCouncil.

Damascusdeniedresponsibilityand,asithasdonerepeatedlyinthepast,blamedforeign-backed"terrorists",usingitstermforrebelsfighters.

ViolenceinSyriaduringFridayleftatleastanother26peopledead,mostlycivilians,theSyrianObservatorysaid.

ActivistscalledforprotestsafterweeklyFridayprayersundertherallyingcryof"Revolutionariesandtraders,handinhanduntilvictory",reachingouttothemiddleclassesinSyria'stwomaincitiesofDamascusandAleppo.

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Thousandsofpeopletooktothestreetsinseveralprovinces,activistssaid,includinginthecapitalwhereprotestersbravedaheavysecuritydeployment.

Morethan13,500peoplehavebeenkilledinthecrackdownondissentthatfollowedtheeruptioninmid-March2011ofanti-governmentprotestsandtheincreasinglyviolentinsurgencyagainstAssad'sregime,theObservatorysays.

InternationalenvoyKofiAnnancalledfor"additionalpressure"inthewakeofthelatestkillings.

UN-ArabLeagueenvoyAnnansaidinWashingtonthathewoulddiscusswithUSSecretaryofStateHillaryClinton"howwecanputadditionalpressureonthegovernmentandthepartiestogetthe(UN-ArabLeaguepeace)planimplemented".

Annansaid"everyoneislookingforasolution"butacknowledgeddoubtsaboutapeacedealhebrokered,whichcallsforaceasefireanddialoguetoendmorethanayearofviolenceaimedattopplingAssad.

AUNdiplomat,speakinganonymously,said"therewillbeactioninthecomingdaystogetavoteonaresolutionwhichincludesmeasuresunderChapterVIIoftheUNCharter--whichwouldmeansanctions."

ChapterVIIallowsforsanctionsand,inextremecases,militaryaction.RussiaandChina,infuriatedbytheNATOcampaigninLibyalastyear,havevowedtoopp

oseanymilitaryintervention.

MeanwhileleadersfromtheSyrianmilitaryoppositioncalledontheinternationalcommunitytoprovidebetterarmsandsupportastheybattletotoppletheAssadregime.

"ThosewhoclaimtosupporttheSyrianoppositionshouldbeginbysupportingpeopleontheinsideofSyria,"saidHusseinSayyed,presidentoftheSupremeRevolutionaryCouncil,speakingbyphonetoameetinginWashington.

InMoscow,Clinton'spointmanonSyria,FredHof,metRussiandiplomatsinabidtopersuadeRussiatobackAssad'sremoval.

ButDeputyForeignMinisterMikhailBogdanovsaidafterthemeetingthatRussiahadnoinformationaboutaleadershipchangebeingplannedinDamascusandpointedlyfailedtomakeanypubliccallforone.

Inotherdevelopments,theRedCrosssaidthesituationwas"extremelytense"inmanypartsofSyriaandthatitwasattemptingtodeliverhumanitarianaidto1.5millionpeople.

Al-KubeirwasthesecondmajormassacreinSyriaintwoweeks.Atleast108people--including49children--werekilledwhenforcesattackedthetownofHoulaonMay25.Thegovernmenthasdeniedanyroleinbothslaughters.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Monitors-smell-burnt-flesh-

in-Syria-massacre-village-UN/articleshow/13955206.cms

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