Today, the UN Security Council was briefed on the humanitarian situation in Syria for the twenty-third time since the adoption of Security Council resolution 2139. Despite the resolution’s demand for the cessation of all violence against civilians, each month since February 2014 has marked an increase in civilian death and a worsening of Syria’s humanitarian situation. Tragically, recent weeks have been no exception. To the contrary, less than 48 hours after the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2254, the Assad regime and Russian forces jointly escalated their war on civilians across Syria, killing innocent men, women and children through indiscriminate aerial attacks in opposition-held areas in Idlib city.
“Sunday’s attacks on Idlib offer yet another horrific example of Russia’s targeting of innocent civilians, and they are a clear violation of Security Council 2254, which demands that all parties cease their indiscriminate attacks on civilians,” said the Special Representative of the Syrian National Coalition to the United Nations, Dr. Najib Ghadbian. “If Russia is serious about contributing to a political solution in Syria, then it must cease these indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Failure to do so will only jeopardize the Vienna process and work to the benefit of terrorist extremist groups.”
Ahead of today’s briefing on the humanitarian situation in Syria, Dr. Ghadbian delivered a letter to the Security Council calling for comprehensive action by Security Council members to protect Syrian civilians, enforce existing Security Council resolutions, and ensure accountability. To read the full letter to the Security Council, press here.