The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has warned Syria's warring parties, including the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) against using the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to regroup amid a spike in civilian deaths in areas controlled by the Turkish armed forces and Syrian Democratic Forces
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th May, 2020) The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has warned Syria's warring parties, including the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) against using the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to regroup amid a spike in civilian deaths in areas controlled by the Turkish armed forces and Syrian Democratic Forces.
"Various parties to the conflict in Syria, including ISIL, appear to view the global focus on the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to regroup and inflict violence on the population," Bachelet stated in a press release on Friday.
An uptick in civilian deaths has been observed in Syria's northern and eastern regions, territory that is either under control of the Turkish armed forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OCHCR) said in the press release. In particular, at least 29 civilian deaths were reported after a fuel truck exploded in Afrin in northwestern Syria on April 28.
�"We are receiving more reports every day of targeted killings and bombings from one end of the country to the other, with many such attacks taking place in populated areas," Bachelet said.
The UN human rights chief called for an immediate ceasefire in the country in order to provide urgent humanitarian care for those that need it.
Violence continues in areas of Syria despite a ceasefire still being in place in Idlib province. On March 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck a deal to commit to the de-escalation of violence in Idlib.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Astana format of Syria settlement talks and announced the introduction of a ceasefire in Idlib from midnight on March 6 and the resumption of joint Russian and Turkish military patrols. As of Tuesday, Russian and Turkish troops have conducted eight joint patrols along the M4 highway in Idlib province.
