-
Fears of War Extension.. Pedersen: Syria on the Brink of a Three-Dimensional Storm
-
The return of Russian bombing and escalating drone attacks signal an imminent collapse of ceasefire agreements in northern Syria
The UN Special Envoy expressed deep concern on Wednesday that Syria stands on the edge of a "military, humanitarian, and economic storm," warning of escalating clashes within Syrian territories and the spread of confrontations from Gaza and Lebanon.
In his address to the UN Security Council, Geir Pedersen explained that "the fires of conflict are raging in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza, and also in Lebanon," adding that "this heat can be felt in Syria as well," emphasizing that "the expansion of regional conflict into Syria is concerning and may worsen."
While Israel has targeted Hezbollah centers in Syria for years, it has intensified its air strikes in the country as its operations in Lebanon expand, claiming that Hezbollah is transferring military equipment to Lebanon through Syrian territory.
The UN envoy informed the Security Council that Syria "witnessed last month the fastest-paced and most extensive campaign of Israeli airstrikes in the past 13 years," noting that populated areas, "even in the heart of Damascus," were bombed.
In the northwestern regions of the country, regional tension appears to be "fueling" internal conflict, according to his statements, referring to the recent military operation carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham against areas under Syrian regime control.
He added that Russian aircraft, supporting the Syrian regime, resumed their strikes for the first time in months, while "pro-government forces significantly accelerated" their drone attacks, confirming "we are seeing all the components of a military, humanitarian, and economic storm erupting in devastated Syria."
The Syrian crisis, which erupted following popular protests against the regime in 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 500,000 people and caused millions to be displaced.
Attempts to establish the ceasefire, which was reached through Russian-Turkish mediation in the north of the country in 2020, have failed due to repeated violations.
Pedersen warned that "regional escalation could lead to the collapse of ceasefire agreements which, despite their incompleteness, have provided a necessary freeze of front lines" over the past four years.
Levant-Agencies
