It is truly a shame that the United Nations Security Council is helpless and hesitant to take a stand regarding the humanitarian tragedy in Syria, said Qatar’s Al Raya. “It is a pity that they are not lifting the siege and saving the Syrian people from such acts of collective punishment, particularly in Aleppo. What is happening in Syria is a crime against humanity and an international scandal that reaffirms that the council and international organisations are complicit with the regime that stands against the Syrian people, who are facing this tragedy on their own with determination and courage. The actions taken by the council merely relieve the pain and wounds of the Syrians, but also protect the Syrian regime and give them the opportunity to eradicate what’s left of the people by laying siege to the cities and starving them,” the paper said.
The bombing of a children’s hospital by Syrian warplanes a few days ago confirms that Damascus is determined more than ever to deny the besieged residents of eastern Aleppo medical services, said the Jordan Times. “The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, says at least 400,000 Syrians must have been killed since the outbreak of the civil war in the country more than five years ago, the overwhelming majority innocent civilians. Unless the war comes to an end — and there are no indication that it will any time soon — this figure is bound to grow, as will the numbers of people injured and displaced. It is a human tragedy that humanity refuses to see, or is incapable of seeing, and that gives a gloomy indication of where mankind is heading.”
A total of 195 violations were committed by Al Houthis and ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s forces in Yemen, said Saudi Arabia’s Al Yaum. “This statistic reaffirms that the rebels never comply with any ceasefire that can provide enough time for the political process to put an end to the deadlock on the security crisis. These violations are nothing new, recurring throughout ceasefires that were announced in the past. Therefore, the Arab Coalition’s decision not to extend the most recent ceasefire if Al Houthi violations continue is a practical step, since the ceasefire would have been futile if only the Yemeni National Army, Popular Resistance and Arab Coalition forces were to abide by it. Therein lies the problem. If a new ceasefire is announced, it will merely be breached again by Al Houthis and Saleh’s forces, which defeats the whole purpose of a ceasefire as an opportunity to resolve the current conflict.”
The two-year war in Yemen has been very tough on everyone, but Yemen was rescued from the insurgency’s full control, said the London-based Pan-Arab news paper Asharq Al Awsat. “Hadn’t it been for the military intervention, the country would have fallen under Iranian influence and would have turned into an arena for long-lasting tribal and regional conflicts ... A huge war was waged, wherein more than half of the Yemeni territories were liberated and legitimacy was restored. Both parties can go on fighting for another 15 years, but what for? Insurgents have wanted to try their luck in unilateral rule, and they failed.”
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