DAMASCUS // The death toll in Syria after six months of protests has reached 2,600, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said yesterday.
Navi Pillay, the UN human-rights chief, said the situation had "worsened" and was "dire", with growing numbers of peaceful protesters being killed by security forces.
She also said the Syrian authorities had refused to give unfettered access to UN human-rights assessment teams, despite repeated official requests.
"My last figures were 2,000 killed and now I am shocked to learned that the figure is closer to 2,600," she said in a speech to the UN human-rights council in Geneva.
Her remarks echoed growing international condemnation of Syria's suppression of anti-regime demonstrations, with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday demanding the "killing machine" be halted.
In addition, the group of six Arab states called for "the immediate implementation of serious reforms that meet the aspirations" of the Syrian people.
The UN's revised casualty tally, based on what Ms Pillay called reliable sources, was immediately dismissed by Bouthaina Shaaban, a senior aide to the Syrian president, Bashar Al Assad.
On a visit to Moscow, where she yesterday held talks with Mikhail Margelov, Russia's presidential envoy to the Middle East, Ms Shaaban said 1,400 people had died since March, half of them security personnel.
The other 700 killed were "insurgents" she said, in line with the regime's insistence it was fighting a revolt by armed Islamic militants, not facing a largely peaceful uprising calling for an end to decades of autocracy, corruption and monopoly of power by unaccountable security services.
Pro-democracy activists inside Syria said they believed the United Nations figure to be lower than the actual number of dead.
"There are thousands of people missing who are completely unaccounted for and we know that security forces are withholding corpses from families, so the actual number of dead will be higher than those who can be 100 per cent confirmed," said one dissident.
Among those known to have been killed is Ghiyath Matar, a human-rights activist from Daraya, a suburb of Damascus. His corpse, showing signs of torture, was returned to his family on Saturday, four days after his arrest by security forces. Human-rights groups say he is one of scores of detainees to have died under torture during the uprising.
Another five people were killed yesterday, according to activists in Syria, with military and security force units sweeping through villages near the ancient city of Aphamea, once a popular tourist destination.
France accused Syria of perpetrating an "endless sequence of crimes" and criticised the UN Security Council for not doing more to exert pressure on Damascus.
However Russia, a key ally to Syria and permanent Security Council member, indicated it would continue to stand by Mr Al Assad, who has promised to make political reforms in tandem with security operations in protest areas.
After holding talks in Moscow with the British prime minister, David Cameron, on the situation in Syria, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he would not support a proposed Security Council resolution, backed by the United States and Europe, to impose an arms embargo and other economic sanctions on Damascus.
"Russia proceeds from the assumption that it's necessary to approve a resolution on Syria that will be tough, but well balanced at the same time that would address both parties to the conflict - President Bashar Assad's government and the opposition," Mr Medvedev said. "Only in that case could it be successful."
Moscow's stance has drawn praise from the Syrian authorities, with banners raised in Damascus thanking Russia for its "fidelity" and friendship. But, in giving Mr Al Assad diplomatic cover on the international stage, the Kremlin has served to deepen the crisis, according to a former official in the Syrian regime.
"Russia's silence has emboldened the [Syrian] authorities to push their military solution to the uprising," the former official said, on condition of anonymity. "Assad see's he has a green light from Moscow to keep on with his crackdown.
"If the Russians had made it clear early on that the killing of civilians wasn't acceptable, we would not be in this terrible position now."
Despite on-going military operations, relentless protests and a dramatically slowing economy - Switzerland announced yesterday that US$51 million in Syrian assets have now been frozen under sanctions - Syrian officials continue to insist the country has overcome the worst of the crisis and is returning to normal.
To that effect, state-run media yesterday covered Mr Al Assad's inauguration of a new road project, designed to link northern and southern suburbs of Damascus.
Sana, the official Syrian news agency, also reported on continued national dialogue consultations, ostensibly to map out a path to democracy. Opposition groups boycotted the event, saying talks with the regime cannot take place until security forces stop using live ammunition against protesters and 15,000 political prisoners are freed from jail.
psands@thenational.ae
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Tuesday results:
- Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
- UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
- Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets
Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
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'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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