Situation in Syria most serious, says Ban

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Fazle Rashid
MINIAPOLIS, May 8: The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on Monday said the situation in Syria has become one of the most serious and gravest issues of concern for the international community. The killing of over 9000 people is totally unacceptable and called upon both government and opposition to stop violence, the Secretary General observed.
Kofi Annan, special UN and Arab League, envoy will brief the Security Council today on the Syrian crisis. The parliamentary elections held on Monday was described as historic by the Government. The opposition not only boycotted the polls but called it phoney and sham. More than 700 candidates, vast majority of them having blessings of Asad, vied for 250 parliamentary seats.
International community including Muslim countries like Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are pressing Bashar al-Asad to quit. Asad family has ruled for 41 years without any accountability and transparency. More than 34 people were killed on election day. The international community has ridiculed the election.
The peace plan, brokered by Kofi Annan, urged the government to allow humanitarian aid groups access to people, release all detainees and initiate dialogue for political reforms to usher in unalloyed democracy.
Meanwhile, the "mistaken" killing of innocent civilians including women and children in Afghanistan and Pakistan by the US drone attacks have led many observers to suspect about the effectiveness and efficiency of the American defence personnel. The US army, air force, navy and marines, however, are not only best trained but also most handsomely paid in the world.
The US drone attack last Friday last killed six members of a family in Afghanistan. The US military offered unconditional apology and has started an investigation.
In a separate development, the Islamic militants in Yemen killed 32 government soldiers in a raid on Monday. The attack came barely few hours after the US drone attacked reportedly killed a suspect who was involved in the bombing of an US ship. The Islamic militants said the attack was in response to recent public utterings by President Mansoor Hadi who bragged of defeating and exterminating the 'jihadists'.