translated from Spanish: UN calls to protect civilians against imminent offensive in Syria

BEIRUT (AP) – U.N. investigators warned on Wednesday that an imminent military offensive by pro-Government forces against about 10,000 extremists in the Northwest of Syria should not 3 million civilians as hostages and that the battle in the province of Idlib will be so ferocious that past clashes seem little in comparison. You might be interested: McDonald’s employees will go to strike sexual harassment photo: AFP read also: cross lines as hashtag are more ancient painting the investigating Commission of the UN said that pro-Government forces carried out three attacks with chemical weapons and that the number of displaced persons is the largest since the conflict broke out in 2011.

He warned that an attack in Idlib “to ignore the civil population will generate a catastrophic humanitarian crisis”. He called the parties to the conflict to protect civilians, as required by international humanitarian law. Pro-Government forces have been concentrating on the periphery of Idlib, preparing for an offensive on the last bastion remaining rebels in Syria. The bombing of the Government subsided slightly on Tuesday after several days of intense explosions. Last Friday, a Summit of Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to reach an agreement. Iran and Russia supporting the Syrian Government, while Turkey supports opposition.” Idlib not should become the next massacre in Syria”, said Commissioner Hanny Megally told reporters after the dissemination of the report. The civilian population “must not be trapped as hostages in the middle of a war against terrorists”. In Syria, Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy said the month last 10,000 fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and their families are in the densely populated village, where some 2.9 million people live. Many of them had arrived there after being evacuated from other areas because of the fighting.
The head of the Commission, Paulo Pinheiro said that the presence of 3 million civilians in the area “is something that should be taken into account by the powers involved in the decision.”

“Pro-Government forces are fighting against some 10,000 armed people and those who will bear the consequences are about 3 million civilians,” said Pinheiro. “Of course we do not have anything against combat terrorists, but something must be done to protect those 3 million civilians among whom there are one million children”.” All previous disasters will be minor incidents compared to what can happen in Idlib”said. UN report accuses the Government undertake attacks with chlorine in their offensive in the suburbs of Damascus called Ghouta Eastern and also in Idlib.” In order to reconquer Ghouta East in April, the Government launched numerous indiscriminate attacks on areas heavily populated by civilians, even with chemical weapons”, says the text. In this note: Beirut Syria UN Civil Pro-Government forces

Original source in Spanish