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| Syria crisis: Trapped civilians must be evacuated - UN | Syria crisis: Trapped civilians must be evacuated - UN |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The head of UN observers in Syria has urged warring parties to allow the evacuation of women, children, elderly and injured people from conflict zones. | The head of UN observers in Syria has urged warring parties to allow the evacuation of women, children, elderly and injured people from conflict zones. |
| Gen Robert Mood also admitted that "attempts to extract civilians" from the besieged city of Homs over the past week had been unsuccessful. | |
| Homs has reportedly been under heavy bombardment from government forces. | Homs has reportedly been under heavy bombardment from government forces. |
| The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said over 1,000 families in Homs need to be evacuated. | The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said over 1,000 families in Homs need to be evacuated. |
| The Observatory said at least one person had died in Sunday's violence in Homs' Khalidiyeh district, and that 10 other deaths had been reported elsewhere in the country. | The Observatory said at least one person had died in Sunday's violence in Homs' Khalidiyeh district, and that 10 other deaths had been reported elsewhere in the country. |
| Massacre warning | Massacre warning |
| In a statement, Gen Mood, the head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), said that both troops of President Bashar al-Assad and rebel fighters "must reconsider their position and allow women, children, the elderly and the injured to leave conflict zones without any preconditions and ensure their safety". | In a statement, Gen Mood, the head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), said that both troops of President Bashar al-Assad and rebel fighters "must reconsider their position and allow women, children, the elderly and the injured to leave conflict zones without any preconditions and ensure their safety". |
| "This requires willingness on both sides to respect and protect the human life of the Syrian people," the Norwegian general added. | "This requires willingness on both sides to respect and protect the human life of the Syrian people," the Norwegian general added. |
| Gen Mood's demand comes a day after he said the UN observers would cease operations in Syria because of the escalating violence. | Gen Mood's demand comes a day after he said the UN observers would cease operations in Syria because of the escalating violence. |
| The mission's 298 military observers and 112 civilian staff were sent to Syria to verify the implementation of a peace plan devised by UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, which included a ceasefire. | The mission's 298 military observers and 112 civilian staff were sent to Syria to verify the implementation of a peace plan devised by UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, which included a ceasefire. |
| The move has been criticised by Syrian activists, with the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) warning of a looming massacre in Homs which it says is besieged by 30,000 troops and pro-regime militiamen. | The move has been criticised by Syrian activists, with the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) warning of a looming massacre in Homs which it says is besieged by 30,000 troops and pro-regime militiamen. |
| Videos uploaded to the internet by activists in the city's al-Bayada and Ghouta districts appeared to show heavy damage to buildings and vehicles from bombardment in recent days. | Videos uploaded to the internet by activists in the city's al-Bayada and Ghouta districts appeared to show heavy damage to buildings and vehicles from bombardment in recent days. |
| The SNC called on the UN Security Council to move swiftly to put the Annan plan into Chapter Seven, meaning that its implementation could be enforced. | The SNC called on the UN Security Council to move swiftly to put the Annan plan into Chapter Seven, meaning that its implementation could be enforced. |
| The UN Security Council's five permanent members will consider the next steps for the observer mission when Gen Mood briefs them on the situation in Syria on Tuesday. | The UN Security Council's five permanent members will consider the next steps for the observer mission when Gen Mood briefs them on the situation in Syria on Tuesday. |
| The Syrian government has repeated its full support for the Annan plan, and blamed "terrorists" and their outside backers for escalating the violence and derailing the plan. | The Syrian government has repeated its full support for the Annan plan, and blamed "terrorists" and their outside backers for escalating the violence and derailing the plan. |