UN Special Envoy for Syria; Geir Pedersen, has warned of a worsening political climate

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has warned of a worsening political climate amid a precarious security situation in Syria. In a monthly UN Security Council briefing, Geir Pedersen highlighted that the July 19 ceasefire in Syria’s Sweida has come under strain, but so far has prevented a slide back into open conflict. However, dangerous hostilities and skirmishes on the margins of Sweida remain, and violence could resume at any moment, she added. Pedersen also emphasised the importance of accountability, regardless of perpetrators’ affiliation.
 
The interim Syrian authorities have announced the formation of a fact-finding committee, tasked with investigating the abuses committed in Sweida. It is essential that the committee’s findings are made fully public and that all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation, are held responsible, he said.