Damascus: A group of UN observers headed on Thursday to the resort town of Zabadani, south of the Syrian capital of Damascus, as part of their ongoing mission meant to bring Syria`s 14-month unrest to a close, witnesses said.
Meanwhile, another team toured the coastal city of Latakia on Thursday and met with its Governor.
More than 200 UN observers have been deployed in restive areas in Syria to monitor a ceasefire plan that has gone into effect on April 12. However, their presence has done little to end the daily grind of violence.
A day earlier, six observers had to be evacuated from the northern town of Khan Shaikhoun after their convoy was caught in a blast of an explosive device, although none of the observers were hurt in the incident.
Meanwhile, the state-run al-Thawra newspaper said on Thursday that Syria`s cooperation with the UN observers will continue and that Damascus is determined to eradicate terrorism.
In an editorial, the paper said that Syria`s cooperation with the observers is "clear and explicit”, and warning that there would be no "tolerance, silence or lingering" with terrorism.
On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that terrorist acts have increased in Syria following the advent of the UN observers, accusing the Syrian opposition of getting trained in Kosovo to prepare a military intervention in Syria.
Assad`s remarks were made during an interview with Russia 24 TV and carried by pro-government media on Wednesday.
Assad insisted that his government is fighting foreign mercenaries and that many of them are alive and would soon be shown to the world.
ANI
