UNSC condemns Syria over Houla massacre

China.org.cn, May 28, 2012

The UN Security Council condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the killings of more than 100 people in Syria in a statement released to the press following?a closed door emergency meeting on Sunday.

A handout picture released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows the bodies of?108 people including 32 children before their burial in the central Syrian town of Houla on May 26, 2012. [Xinhua]

"The members of the Security Council also condemned the killing of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse," the statement said.

At the closed door meeting, the head of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), Major General Robert Mood, told the council via video-link from Syria that UN observers at the scene now estimated that the killings that took place on 25 May and in the early hours of 26 May in Houla, Herve Ladsous left 108 civilians dead, including over 30 children.

He also said that the observers confirmed from examination of ordnance found on the spot that artillery and tank shells were fired.

"The members of the Security Council extended their profound sympathies and sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and underscored their grave concern about the situation of civilians in Syria," the statement said.

Syria on Sunday denied the involvement of the government troops in the deadly carnage in the central village of Houla two days ago, blaming "hundreds of heavily armed gunmen" who also attacked soldiers in the area for the killings.

"Such outrageous use of force against civilian population constitutes a violation of applicable international law and of the commitments of the Syrian government under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2042 and 2043 to cease violence in all its forms, including the cessation of use of heavy weapons in population centers," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that all violence in all its forms by all parties must cease," the statement said. "Those responsible for acts of violence must be held accountable."

"The members of the Security Council requested the secretary-general, with the involvement of UNSMIS, to continue to investigate these attacks and report the findings to the Security Council," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council demanded that the government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centers and immediately pull back its troops and its heavy weapons from in and around population centers and return them to their barracks," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to the efforts of the joint special envoy for the implementation of his six-point plan in its entirety and requested him to convey in the clearest terms to the Syrian parties, and in particular the Syrian government, the demands of the Security Council," the statement said.

Yesterday Mr. Ban, Gen. Mood and the Joint Special Envoy of the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan, issued statements in which they strongly condemned the killings and urged that those responsible be held to account.

The killings have also sparked outrage from the President of the General Assembly, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, who said in a statement that these "shocking" killings in a populated neighborhood are a flagrant violation of international law and the commitments made by the Syrian Government, and from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"This outrageous crime against such young children who have no part in these battles points to a new urgency in finding solutions to the Syrian conflict. Such a massacre cannot go unpunished," said Sarah Crowe, spokesperson for the Executive Director of UNICEF.

The UN estimates that more than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 14 months ago.