Syria's simmering 11-year war is at risk of boiling over once again with a return to large-scale combat after several front lines across the country flared up in recent months, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions made homeless since protests against President Bashar Al Assad in 2011 escalated into a civil war that drew in foreign powers and left Syria carved into zones of control.
“Syria cannot afford a return to larger-scale fighting, but that is where it may be heading,” said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, chair of the UN's Syria commission.
Fighting has cooled in recent years after Iran and Russia helped Al Assad recapture 70 per cent of Syrian territory, the United States backed Kurdish fighters that defeated ISIS militants, and Turkey set up a buffer zone near its border.
But the United Nations said fault lines between various areas are starting to heat up.
“We had an idea at some point that the war was completely finished in Syria,” Mr Pinheiro said in Geneva. He added that incidents documented in the report proved this was not the case.
“Grave violations of fundamental human rights and humanitarian law” had increased across the country in the first six months of this year, the 50-page report found.
They included fighting and aerial bombardments in the country's north-east and north-west that left dozens of civilians dead and restricted access to food and water, the report said.
In government-held areas, the commission documented the deaths of former opposition leaders, house raids and continued torture and ill-treatment in detention centres.
Russian air strikes over opposition-held areas had increased even further in the last few months, said commissioner Hanny Megally.
“We are seeing increasing violence,” Mr Megally said.
It also documented more than a dozen Israeli strikes across Syria in the first six months of 2022, including an attack on Damascus International Airport that put the site out of commission for nearly two weeks.
The UN revealed on Wednesday that it had been unable to fly in humanitarian assistance to Syria during that time.
Separately, the United States announced an additional $756 million in humanitarian aid for Syria, which would be distributed across the country to provide food, shelter and other support to needy families.
The UN has said more people are in need in Syria than ever before, as an economic crisis further strains their ability to access basic goods and services.
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
