UN peacekeeping chief holds both government, opposition of violating ceasefire in Syria

Washington, May 2 (ANI): The United Nations peacekeeping chief, Herve Ladsous, has said that military observers in Syria have reported ceasefire violations both the government and the opposition, and demanded an immediate halt to violence from both sides.

According to News 24, Ladsous refused to comment on which side was responsible for the most number of ceasefire violations.

"I think the violations that are observed come from both sides. I would not establish a ratio. The important fact is that violations do come from both sides," Lasdsous said during a press conference.

He said that the unarmed observers have noticed a number of heavy weapons were deployed in populated areas in Syria, including armoured personnel carriers and Howitzers.

The Syrian Government had claimed that it had withdrawn tanks and troops from the country as stated under international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.

Syrian forces fired mortar shells on a farming village near the Turkish border, killing 10 people, including two children.

Ladsous said that 24 UN observers have been sent to Syria in five crucial locations, Damascus, Homs, Hama, Daraa and Idlib. He said that about 9000 people were killed in the five locations in the 13-month uprising.

He said that the UN committed to send about 150 observers to Syria, which is being processed, adding that a total of 300 observers will be sent to the country by end of May.

Ladsous, however, said that to send UN observers to the country, Syria should give visas to the observers as it has already denied visas to three observers without reason. (ANI)