The U.N. observers in Syria suspended on Saturday their mission “until further notice” because of the intensifying violence, Al Jazeera reported, citing the statement by General Robert Mood, the head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Syria.
"There has been an intensification of armed violence across Syria over the past 10 days," Mood said in the statement, adding that the current situation in the country was “posing significant risks to the observers.”
A group of almost 300 UN military observers and 112 civilian staff were sent to Syria in late April to monitor the implementation of the six-point peace plan brokered by the UN and Arab League envoy, Kofi Annan.
"The lack of willingness by the parties to seek a peaceful transition, and the push towards advancing military positions is increasing the losses on both sides: innocent civilians, men women and children are being killed every day,” Al Jazeera cited Mood’s statement.
The statement comes after at least seven people were killed on Friday night in Douma, an eastern suburb of Damascus, another 18 died in violence in other Syrian regions, London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.
According to UN estimates, over 10,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, which started with peaceful protests but has since grown increasingly violent.
