A UN convoy, escorting unarmed UN monitors, came under attack during a government crackdown on protesters in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria on Monday.
According to eye witnesses tensions were running high after a crowd of protesters arrived to mourn at the funeral of a fellow protester who had been killed by government forces. As the demonstration intensified, government forces opened fire at the protesters. Twenty people were killed, and three UN vehicles were damaged.
Ahmad Fawzi, a spokesperson for the UN special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, said,
“The UN mission in Syria reports that, shortly after 2pm local time today, a convoy of four vehicles was struck by an explosion from an improvised explosive device,”
“Three UN vehicles were damaged. No UN personnel were injured.”
According to reports the monitors are currently seeking safety with the Free Syrian Army. The Times UK quoted one monitor as saying,
“We are safe with the Free Army and we are waiting for a [UN] group to pick us up,”
Sami al-Kurdi, spokesperson for the opposition's military council,
“They are now with the Free Army, which is protecting them. If they leave, the regime will terminate them because they have witnessed one of its crimes and it does not want them to tell the truth,”
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