WASHINGTON: The UN Security Council (UNSC) Saturday authorised a dispatch of 300 military observers to Syria to supervise on the ceasefire between the government and opposition forces.
The observers will be in the country for an initial period of 90 days within the international community's efforts to stop over a year-long armed conflict that killed about 9,000 people, according to UN estimates.
Under the UNSC resolution approved Saturday, a mission of military observers and civilian personnel will be sent to Syria in a matter of urgency depending on assessment of situation in Syria by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The resolution "becomes fundamental to resolve the conflict in Syria. Any extended interpretations and deviations from the resolution are inadmissible," said Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
A ceasefire, part of UN envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan, came into force in Syria April 12, although there have been reports of numerous violations of the truce by both government and opposition forces.