UN High Commissioner says Syrian ceasefire has failed as civilians killed daily

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the ongoing Syrian crisis with numerous civilian casualties despite the announcement of a ceasefire. Michelle Bachelet said that though the pursuit of a ceasefire is to be encouraged, it has failed to protect the lives of civilians.

“It is deeply distressing that civilians are still being killed on a daily basis in missile strikes from both the air and ground. Women, men and children simply carrying out everyday activities at home, the workplace, in markets and at schools are being killed and maimed in senseless violence,” said that the UN High Commissioner in a statement.

Bachelet has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in and around the ‘de-escalation’ zone of Idlib. The ceasefire agreement of January 12 has been unable to put a leash on violence and deaths in the Idlib province. High Commissioner’s office said that both pro-Government forces and non-State armed groups have continued to fight with an apparent disregard for international humanitarian law and the protection of all civilians.

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Reports of casualties post ceasefire agreement

The UN Human Rights Office received reports of airstrikes on January 15-16 in which at least 15 civilians were killed and more than 60 were wounded. The deceased included two children while the list of injured included 18 children and four women in the air raids. Another airstrike hit the city of Ariha in southern rural Idlib and injured seven civilians including two women and three boys.

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The clashes between regime forces and rebel factions have led to a humanitarian crisis and a large number of people have been displaced due to this. At least 4,800 people have reportedly lost their lives since April 30 when the conflict escalated with an increased aerial and ground bombardment. According to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), Russian warplanes are continuing intensive raids with continuous bombardments in the western countryside of Aleppo.

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(with inputs from agencies)