U.N. Observers Leave Syria as Damascus Suburb Shelled

As United Nations monitors left Syria, Reuters reported on Monday that President Bashar al-Assad's regime was launching a tank assault against the southwestern Damascus suburb of al-Mouadamiya. Three people were reported by activist groups to have died, while a further 20 were wounded.

Meanwhile, a small contingent of the formerly 300-member strong U.N. observation mission was seen leaving a hotel in Damascus on Monday according to another Reuters report . One unnamed member described the mission as a failure due to the unwillingness of the two sides to "abide by their commitments."

Here's the latest information on the Syrian conflict and the end of the U.N. observer mission.

Outgoing head of mission calls for peace

Two days prior to their planned exit, the head of the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) asked both parties to put down their weapons as reported by the United Nations News Center , a call that went unheeded on Monday.

Lt. General Babacar Gaye said that civilians were not being protected according to obligations under international humanitarian law.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council decided to limit U.N. activities to a liaison office. Observers have been unable to operate in the country due to the threat of violence against the unarmed mission.

New U.N. special envoy told by rebels to apologize

Former Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, recently appointed by the U.N. to replace Kofi Annan, has said the U.N. isn't providing a "unified voice," which will make his efforts to find peace in Syria difficult, the Voice of America reported . But he soon came under fire for further comments made regarding President Assad.

Saying he did not "know enough about what is happening" yet after having been appointed two days prior, Brahimi didn't affirm that he would ask Assad to step down as his predecessor had. The opposition Syrian National Council said that he was providing time for Assad to continue a military crackdown, and called for Brahimi to apologize for his comments, Retuers said .

Russia: West is arming rebels

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov accused the United States and European nations of giving arms to Syrian rebels, Reuters reported , claiming an increasing number of Western-made weapons are entering the conflict. The U.S. and U.K. say they are providing non-lethal support, but Qatar and Saudi Arabia are believed to be providing military support.

For its part, Western powers have said that Moscow is protecting Assad diplomatically by vetoing U.N. Security Resolutions on Syria. Russia sold $1 billion in military support to Syria last year, according to Reuters.

Shawn Humphrey is a former contributor to The Flint Journal and an amateur Africanist, focusing his personal studies on human rights and political issues on the continent.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-observers-leave-syria-damascus-suburb-shelled-181300969.html

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