The last U.N. monitors have withdrawn from Syria, marking the end of a four-month mission. The mission announced its dissolution last week amidst unrelenting violence between government and rebel forces. Earlier today, the Syrian regime launched a new assault to retake the Damascus suburb of Mouadamiya from the opposition. On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended services at a Damascus mosque, his first public appearance since a bomb attack killed top members of his cabinet last month. The United Nations, meanwhile, has confirmed veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi as the new international mediator for Syria, replacing Kofi Annan. U.N. spokesperson Eduardo del Buey announced Brahimi’s appointment.
Eduardo del Buey: “The violence and the suffering in Syria must come to an end. The secretary-general appreciates Mr. Brahimi’s willingness to bring his considerable talents and experience to this crucial task, for which he will need, and rightly expects, a strong, clear and unified support of the international community, including the Security Council.”