UN condemns Syria over massacre
- 12 years ago
The U.N. Security Council on Sunday unanimously condemned the Syrian government for heavy-weapons attacks on the town of Houla, the site of a
massacre of at least 108 people, including many children.
Azerbaijan's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Tofig Musayev.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AZERBAIJAN'S DEPUTY U.N. AMBASSADOR TOFIG MUSAYEV SAYING:
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible
terms the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of
dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds
more in the village of (Houla), near Homs, in attacks that
involved a series of government artillery and tank shellings on
a residential neighborhood."
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari says his government would track down the perpetrators.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN BASHAR JAAFARI SAYING:
"Whomever commited these crimes will be held accountable."
He also said that the UN was not blaming the Syrian government.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN BASHAR JAAFARI SAYING:
"If you go to the language in which the press statement was written, you will find that nothing in that indicates that the Council is blaming the Syrian government forces for the killings and the preparations of the massacres."
The massacre in Houla was the worst violence witnessed in Syria since a UN peace plan was put in motion some six weeks ago.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
massacre of at least 108 people, including many children.
Azerbaijan's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Tofig Musayev.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AZERBAIJAN'S DEPUTY U.N. AMBASSADOR TOFIG MUSAYEV SAYING:
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible
terms the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of
dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds
more in the village of (Houla), near Homs, in attacks that
involved a series of government artillery and tank shellings on
a residential neighborhood."
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari says his government would track down the perpetrators.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN BASHAR JAAFARI SAYING:
"Whomever commited these crimes will be held accountable."
He also said that the UN was not blaming the Syrian government.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN BASHAR JAAFARI SAYING:
"If you go to the language in which the press statement was written, you will find that nothing in that indicates that the Council is blaming the Syrian government forces for the killings and the preparations of the massacres."
The massacre in Houla was the worst violence witnessed in Syria since a UN peace plan was put in motion some six weeks ago.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters