Rebels downplay UN decision to suspend Syria mission

2012-06-16 17

Syrian rebels play down the significance of UN decision to suspend its monitoring mission.

While some view the suspension as a diplomatic setback to containing the crisis, video obtained by Reuters shows rebels discounting the UN role.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED SYRIAN REBEL SAYING:

"The U.N. Mission did nothing for the Syrian people. On the contrary it provided cover for the regime to kill and commit crimes."

Escalating violence in Syria forced the UN to suspend operations.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED SYRIAN REBEL SAYING:

"Suspending the observers mission will be followed by pulling them out of the country as it happened with the Arab League observers. We as the Free Army are waiting for that."

Hundreds of people have been killed in the two months since a UN ceasefire deal was supposed to come into effect.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters