UN aims to collect monitoring team from Syrian townMay 16, 2012 - 14:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The United Nations aims to collect a monitoring team from the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun on Wednesday, May 16 the head of the monitoring mission said, after they spent the night in the hands of rebels following an attack near their convoy, Reuters reported. The Free Syrian Army said on Tuesday the monitors, whose cars were damaged in an attack which killed at least 21 people in Khan Sheikhoun, were under FSA protection. "We have spoken to them on the phone. They are telling us that they are happy where they are and they are safe," the head of the monitoring mission, Major-General Robert Mood, told reporters in Damascus. "We are going to pick them up this morning." An FSA rebel in Khan Sheikhoun contacted by Reuters said the monitors were attending a funeral on Wednesday for people killed in Tuesday's violence. "They slept well and now they went with people taking part in the funeral to bury the martyrs," he said. "We provided a phone for them and they spoke to Mood and he promised them cars from Damascus to pick them up." An internal UN document obtained by Reuters at the United Nations said that a total of six monitors were under rebel "protection" in a "friendly environment". Ahmad Fawzi, international mediator Kofi Annan's spokesman, said the UN convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in Khan Sheikhoun on Tuesday. "Three UN vehicles were damaged but no UN personnel were hurt in this explosion. The mission has sent a patrol team to the area to help to extract those UN military observers," he said in a statement. Around 200 observers are in Syria to monitor implementation of an April 12 ceasefire agreement intended to stem the bloodshed in a 14-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Rebels and government forces alike have violated the ceasefire deal and activists say hundreds of people have been killed since the middle of last month. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Pasadena to host Armenian Genocide commemoration event The Pasadena Armenian Coalition will host its community-wide Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event. Armenia: Opposition activist transferred to Investigative Committee Activist Samvel Vardanyan has been accused of insulting the lawmaker Hakob Aslanyan from the ruling Civil Contract party. Former Pashinyan envoy urges end to Genocide speculation Marukyan has urged authorities in Armenia stop discussions about verifying the names of 1.5 million victims. Azerbaijan, Jordan sign deal on defense cooperation Azerbaijan and Jordan have signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of defense, according to an official statement. |