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UN’s top humanitarian official concerned over increasing violence in Syria

14 June 2011 21:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The top UN humanitarian official, Valerie Amos, voiced deep concern over violence in Syria which has reportedly killed 1,200 people and caused 10,000 others to flee the country, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said here Tuesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Amos, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, called on the Syrian government to respect and protect civilians and refrain from the use of force against peaceful demonstrators, Nesirky said at a daily news briefing.

"She called on the government to respect and protect civilians, and to refrain from the use of force against peaceful demonstrators," Nesirky said.

In his speech at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Argentina on Tuesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the situation in Syria as "very worrisome."

He also said that the Syrian government has responded to protests with "horrific attacks" but added that violence cannot destroy the impulse every human heart for dignity, respect and justice.

The UN chief once again urged that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has to allow humanitarian access to affected areas.

According to media reports, thousands of Syrians have entered Turkey in recent days after fleeing a military crackdown against demonstrators calling for democratic reforms in their country. Syrian authorities have been widely criticized for their bloody repression of the protests.

The protests are part of a broader uprising this year across North Africa and the Middle East that has already toppled the long- standing regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and led to ongoing conflict in Libya.