A spokesman for joint U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan said Tuesday that satellite imagery and other credible reports show that despite its claims, Syria has failed to withdraw all of its heavy weapons from populated areas as required by a cease-fire deal. Ahmad Fawzi said Annan is aware that when the U.N. monitors enter conflict areas in Syria that “the guns are silent” and then “when they leave, the exchanges start again.” Fawzi noted there appear to be cases of Syrians being targeted by authorities after approaching U.N. observers monitoring the truce. He called the situation “totally unacceptable.” The cease-fire is part of Annan's peace plan, which aims to stop the violence in Syria, where more than 9,000 people are believed to have died during a government crackdown on a popular uprising.
