Report

Fuelling the Fire: How the UN Security Council’s Permanent Members Are Undermining Their Own Commitments on Syria

NRC|Published 11. Mar 2016
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Syria Humanitarian access Syria crisis UN War and conflict
This paper examines what the UNSC demands have been in Syria, the situation since March 2015, and significant actions taken by the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.

Several UNSC and International Syria Support Group (ISSG) members — specifically Russia, UK, USA and France, but also Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran and others – intensified their military engagement in Syria. This paper offers a report card analysing the actions of the UNSC members, which to varying degrees have been actively contributing to civilian suffering.

The report concludes with a list of recommendations to be taken at the international level, by the UNSC, UN implementing agencies, and other parties militarily active in the conflict; and the national level, by government stakeholders (especially Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Iran).