Violence rages in Syria as UN calls to stop ‘hell on Earth’

Syrian forces launched a ground offensive yesterday on a rebel-held eastern Damascus suburb despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day cease-fire across Syria, as the U.N. chief denounced the violence in the embattled region, describing it as "hell on Earth", reports AP from Beirut and Geneva.

The violence, along with airstrikes that killed 10 people on Monday, according to opposition activists, bodes ill for the resolution adopted over the weekend at the United Nations. There had been a relative calm in the besieged area in the immediate aftermath of the resolution, which was unanimously approved Saturday by the 15-member council. It demands a 30-day truce in all of Syria but excludes fighting with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked fighters.

However, violence has since picked up again with 14 people killed on Sunday in airstrikes and bombardment of eastern Ghouta and 10 on Monday, activists said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on the warring sides to abide by the cease-fire. Speaking at the start of a session of the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, the comments were his first remarks to the U.N. body since the resolution was adopted.

"Eastern Ghouta cannot wait," he said. "It is high time to stop this hell on Earth." Guterres said he welcomes the resolution but added that council resolutions "are only meaningful if they are effectively implemented." He added that he expects the "resolution to be immediately implemented and sustained" and also called for safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid and services, as well as evacuations of the sick and wounded.

At the Geneva gathering, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein echoed calls for a “full implementation” of the truce but said that “however, we have every reason to remain cautious” about the cease-fire as airstrikes continue on Damascus suburbs.

He also decried “seven years of failure to stop the violence, seven years of unremitting and frightful mass killing” in Syria. In Syria, state TV broadcast live footage showing the town of Harasta, in the Damascus suburbs, being pounded by airstrikes and artillery. The TV said troops were targeting al-Qaida-linked fighter in the area in an apparent move to show that the army is not violating the cease-fire.

Monday’s fighting was mostly concentrating in an area known as Harasta Farms, on the edge of town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, said nine died in an airstrike shortly after midnight in the suburb of Douma and one person was killed in Harasta on Monday morning.

Violence rages in Syria as UN calls to stop hell on Earth

Syrian forces launched a ground offensive yesterday on a rebel-held eastern Damascus suburb despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day cease-fire across Syria, as the U.N. chief denounced the violence in the embattled region, describing it as hell on Earth, reports AP from Beirut and Geneva. The violence, along with airstrikes that killed 10 people on Monday, according to opposition activists, bodes ill for the resolution adopted over the weekend at the United Nations. There had been a relative calm in the besieged area in the immediate aftermath of the resolution, which was unanimously approved Saturday by the 15-member council. It demands a 30-day truce in all of Syria but excludes fighting with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked fighters. However, violence has since picked up again with 14 people killed on Sunday in airstrikes and bombardment of eastern Ghouta and 10 on Monday, activists said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on the warring sides to abide by the cease-fire. Speaking at the start of a session of the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, the comments were his first remarks to the U.N. body since the resolution was adopted. Eastern Ghouta cannot wait, he said. It is high time to stop this hell on Earth. Guterres said he welcomes the resolution but added that council resolutions are only meaningful if they are effectively implemented. He added that he expects the resolution to be immediately implemented and sustained and also called for safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid and services, as well as evacuations of the sick and wounded. At the Geneva gathering, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein echoed calls for a full implementation of the truce but said that however, we have every reason to remain cautious about the cease-fire as airstrikes continue on Damascus suburbs. He also decried seven years of failure to stop the violence, seven years of unremitting and frightful mass killing in Syria. In Syria, state TV broadcast live footage showing the town of Harasta, in the Damascus suburbs, being pounded by airstrikes and artillery. The TV said troops were targeting al-Qaida-linked fighter in the area in an apparent move to show that the army is not violating the cease-fire. Mondays fighting was mostly concentrating in an area known as Harasta Farms, on the edge of town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the oppositions Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, said nine died in an airstrike shortly after midnight in the suburb of Douma and one person was killed in Harasta on Monday morning.