Syria lauds Brahimi as UN envoy, denies defection by vice president
Source: Agencies |
August 19, 2012, Sunday
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THE Syrian government yesterday welcomed the naming of a former Algerian diplomat as the United Nations' new point-man in efforts to halt the country's escalating civil war. Activists reported more shelling by regime troops, including an air attack on a northern border town where scores died earlier this week.
In a statement, the office of Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa not only expressed support for Lakdar Brahimi, it also denied reports circulating in Arab media that al-Sharaa had defected to the opposition.
Al-Sharaa "did not think, at any moment, of leaving the country," the statement said.
The vice president's cousin Yaroub, a colonel in the military defected to the opposition earlier this month, appearing on the pan-Arab al-Arabiya TV. The President Bashar Assad's government has suffered a string of defections in recent months, though his inner circle and military have largely kept their cohesive stance behind him.
The highest-ranking political defector so far, Assad's former prime minister Riad Hijab, has gone to Qatar. Qatar is among a group of Gulf Arab nations that have backed the rebellion against Assad.
The new UN envoy, Brahimi, takes over from former secretary-general Kofi Annan who is stepping down on August 31. His appointment comes as UN observers have begun leaving Syria, with all due to leave by today - ending a mission that had been one of the only concrete achievements in Annan's peace attempts. The observers had been intended to watch over a cease-fire, but no truce ever took hold.
Al-Sharaa's office said the vice president "supports Brahimi's demand to get united support from the Security Council to carry out his mission without obstacles."
Yesterday, Syrian activists said government troops shelled and carried out air raids at rebel areas across the country, including the southern province of Daraa, the northern region of Aleppo and the suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the air raids targeted the northern town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, but it was not clear if there were casualties.
Last Wednesday, warplanes exacted a heavy toll with airstrikes on a residential neighborhood in Azaz. International watchdog Human Rights Watch said more than 40 people were killed and at least 100 wounded, many of them women and children.
In a statement, the office of Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa not only expressed support for Lakdar Brahimi, it also denied reports circulating in Arab media that al-Sharaa had defected to the opposition.
Al-Sharaa "did not think, at any moment, of leaving the country," the statement said.
The vice president's cousin Yaroub, a colonel in the military defected to the opposition earlier this month, appearing on the pan-Arab al-Arabiya TV. The President Bashar Assad's government has suffered a string of defections in recent months, though his inner circle and military have largely kept their cohesive stance behind him.
The highest-ranking political defector so far, Assad's former prime minister Riad Hijab, has gone to Qatar. Qatar is among a group of Gulf Arab nations that have backed the rebellion against Assad.
The new UN envoy, Brahimi, takes over from former secretary-general Kofi Annan who is stepping down on August 31. His appointment comes as UN observers have begun leaving Syria, with all due to leave by today - ending a mission that had been one of the only concrete achievements in Annan's peace attempts. The observers had been intended to watch over a cease-fire, but no truce ever took hold.
Al-Sharaa's office said the vice president "supports Brahimi's demand to get united support from the Security Council to carry out his mission without obstacles."
Yesterday, Syrian activists said government troops shelled and carried out air raids at rebel areas across the country, including the southern province of Daraa, the northern region of Aleppo and the suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the air raids targeted the northern town of Azaz, near the Turkish border, but it was not clear if there were casualties.
Last Wednesday, warplanes exacted a heavy toll with airstrikes on a residential neighborhood in Azaz. International watchdog Human Rights Watch said more than 40 people were killed and at least 100 wounded, many of them women and children.
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