UN Rights Council to meet on Syria on Monday

UN Rights Council to meet on Syria on Monday

The UN Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on the violence in Syria on Monday. 

This comes after 24 countries, including all four Arab members -- Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia backed the EU's call for action. 

A UN statement said the US, which along with the EU is expected to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to leave power, according to Washington sources, was also among members endorsing the special session. 

The UN Human Rights Council held a first special session on Syria on April 29, early on during the crackdown by security forces on pro-democracy protesters. 

The 47-member forum launched an inquiry into human rights violations at the time. 

The report by UN investigators who went to the region is to be issued later on Thursday by the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay. 

The report and session are expected to add pressure on Assad whose government has engaged in a crackdown against protesters seeking an end to his rule. 

UN calls for investigation into killings

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon had earlier urged President Assad to allow an independent investigation into all reported killings and acts of violence in the country.

Ban also urged the regime to allow free access to the media and extend full cooperation to the UN Human Rights office to investigate reported alleged abuses in the country.

A UN statement on Wednesday night said Ban spoke with Assad and demanded an immediate end to all military operations and mass arrests in Syria.

According to the readout, Assad claimed that that the military and police operations had stopped.

Assad has told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that military and police operations against the protesters have stopped, but activists reported more bloodshed overnight.

Syrian military forces have reportedly engaged in heavy and sustained assault in Latakia since the weekend, killing dozens of people.

As many as 2,000 people have been killed in Syria in the past five months following the violent crackdown by government forces against civilian demonstrators.

REUTERS/PCC/Williams