UN loses count on Syria killings

DAMASCUS, Thursday

The UN said it cannot keep track of the death toll in Syria’s months-long unrest that has already cost more than 5,400 lives, as government forces targeted the protest hub of Hama with a major assault.

The admission came as European and Arab nations worked on a UN Security Council resolution condemning President Bashar al-Assad’s government for its continuing deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay gave a toll of more than 5,000 dead when she spoke to the UN Security Council in early December, but has not updated it.

Under secretary general B. Lynn Pascoe told the council on January 10 that at least 400 people had been killed since Arab League monitors arrived in Syria on December 26.

After meeting Security Council ambassadors again, Ms Pillay said the toll had risen but added: “We are experiencing difficulties because of the fragmentation on the ground.

“Some areas are totally closed such as parts of Homs, so we are unable to update that figure but in my view 5,000 and more is a huge figure and should really shock the international community into taking action,” she told reporters.

Russia said on Wednesday it would consider “constructive proposals” to end the bloodshed in Syria but opposed the use of force or sanctions. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said any UN Security Council resolution backed by Moscow “must firmly record that it cannot be used or interpreted to justify anyone’s outside military intervention in the Syria crisis.”

Russia and China both blocked a previous Western attempt to have the Security Council formally condemn Assad’s crackdown.

(AFP)