UN rights chief arrives in Syria for first ever visit

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk arrived in Syria’s capital, Damascus, today for the first ever visit of the global body’s rights chief to the country, Reuters reports.

Turk, an Austrian lawyer, will visit Syria and Lebanon from 14-16 January and meet with officials, civil society groups, diplomats and UN bodies, the UN statement said, without giving further details.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was driven from power by a lightning rebel offensive last month, ending 50 years of family rule and raising hopes for accountability for crimes committed during Syria’s more than 13-year civil war.

Under Al-Assad, many UN officials and rights groups were denied access to the country to investigate alleged violations.

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