S/RES/2139 (2014)
Security Council Distr.: General
22 February 2014
14-24339 (E)
*1424339*
Resolution 2139 (2014)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 7116th meeting, on
22 February 2014
The Security Council,
Recalling its resolutions 2042 (2012), 2043 (2012) and 2118 (2013), and its
Presidential Statements of 3 August 2011, 21 March 2012, 5 April 2012 and 2 October
2013,
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the
United Nations,
Being appalled at the unacceptable and escalating level of violence and the
death of well over 100,000 people in Syria, including over 10,000 children, as
reported by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Special Representative of
the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict,
Expressing grave alarm at the significant and rapid deterioration of the
humanitarian situation in Syria, in particular the dire situation of hundreds of
thousands of civilians trapped in besieged areas, most of whom are besieged by the
Syrian armed forces and some by opposition groups, as well as the dire situation of
over 3 million people in hard-to-reach areas, and deploring the difficulties in
providing, and the failure to provide, access for the humanitarian assistance to all
civilians in need inside Syria,
Emphasizing the need to respect the United Nations guiding principles of
humanitarian emergency assistance and stressing the importance of such assistance
being delivered on the basis of need, devoid of any political prejudices and aims,
commending the efforts of the United Nations and all humanitarian and medical
personnel in Syria and in neighbouring countries, and condemning all acts or threats
of violence against United Nations staff and humanitarian actors, which have
resulted in the death, injury and detention of many humanitarian personnel,
Expressing grave concern at the increasing number of refugees and internally
displaced persons caused by the conflict in Syria, which has a destabilizing impact
on the entire region, and underscoring its appreciation for the significant and
admirable efforts that have been made by the countries of the region, notably
Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, to accommodate the more than 2.4 million
refugees who have fled Syria as a result of the ongoing violence, while
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acknowledging the enormous political, socioeconomic and financial impact of the
presence of large-scale populations in these countries, and underscoring the need for
all parties to respect and maintain the security and civilian character of camps for
refugees and internally displaced persons,
Welcoming the pledges totalling $2.5 billion at the Second International
Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, hosted by Kuwait on 15 January 2014,
and expressing its appreciation to Member States and regional and subregional
organizations that have pledged to provide humanitarian assistance to people in need
in all parts of Syria, including internally displaced persons, as well as to refugees in
neighbouring host countries, and calling on all Member States to ensure the timely
disbursement of pledges and continued support in line with growing humanitarian
needs,
Calling on all parties to immediately end all violence which has led to human
suffering in Syria, save Syria’s rich societal mosaic and cultural heritage, and take
appropriate steps to ensure the protection of Syria’s World Heritage Sites,
Strongly condemning the increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous
casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated
with Al-Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist groups, and reiterating its call on all
parties to commit to putting an end to terrorist acts perpetrated by such
organizations and individuals, while reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and
security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of
their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,
Expressing its regret that its Presidential Statement of 2 October 2013
(S/PRST/2013/15) has not delivered as expected and has not yet translated into
meaningful progress on the ground, and that humanitarian aid delivery continues to
be impeded throughout Syria, while condemning all cases of denial of humanitarian
access and recalling that arbitrary denial of humanitarian access and depriving
civilians of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding
relief supply and access, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law,
Emphasizing that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in the
absence of a political solution to the crisis, reiterating its endorsement of the
Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012 (Annex II of resolution 2118 (2113)) and
demanding that all parties work towards the immediate and comprehensive
implementation of the Geneva Communiqué aimed at bringing an immediate end to
all violence, violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international
law, and facilitating the Syrian-led political process launched in Monteux on
22 January 2014, leading to a transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the
Syrian people and enables them independently and democratically to determine their
own future,
1. Strongly condemns the widespread violations of human rights and
international humanitarian law by the Syrian authorities, as well as the human rights
abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by armed groups, including
all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as all grave violations and
abuses committed against children in contravention of applicable international law,
such as recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape, attacks on schools and
hospitals as well as arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, ill treatment and use as
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human shields, as described in the United Nations Secretary-General’s report on
children and armed conflict in Syria (S/2014/31);
2. Demands that all parties immediately put an end to all forms of violence,
irrespective of where it comes from, cease and desist from all violations of
international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and
reaffirm their obligations under international humanitarian law and international
human rights law, and stresses that some of these violations may amount to war
crimes and crimes against humanity;
3. Demands that all parties immediately cease all attacks against civilians,
as well as the indiscriminate employment of weapons in populated areas, including
shelling and aerial bombardment, such as the use of barrel bombs, and methods of
warfare which are of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering,
and recalls in this regard the obligation to respect and ensure respect for
international humanitarian law in all circumstances, and further recalls, in particular,
the obligation to distinguish between civilian populations and combatants, and the
prohibition against indiscriminate attacks, and attacks against civilians and civilian
objects as such;
4. Demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, fully
implement the provisions of the 2 October 2013 Statement by the President of the
Security Council (S/PRST/2013/15) including through facilitating the expansion of
humanitarian relief operations, in accordance with applicable provisions of
international humanitarian law and the United Nations guiding principles of
humanitarian emergency assistance;
5. Calls upon all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas,
including in the Old City of Homs (Homs), Nubl and Zahra (Aleppo), Madamiyet
Elsham (Rural Damascus), Yarmouk (Damascus), Eastern Ghouta (Rural Damascus),
Darayya (Rural Damascus) and other locations, and demands that all parties allow
the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance, cease
depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival, and enable
the rapid, safe and unhindered evacuation of all civilians who wish to leave, and
underscores the need for the parties to agree on humanitarian pauses, days of
tranquillity, localized ceasefires and truces to allow humanitarian agencies safe and
unhindered access to all affected areas in Syria, recalling that starvation of civilians
as a method of combat is prohibited by international humanitarian law;
6. Demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly
allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations
humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict
lines and across borders, in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches
people in need through the most direct routes;
7. Urges all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, to take all
appropriate steps to facilitate the efforts of the United Nations, its specialized
agencies, and all humanitarian actors engaged in humanitarian relief activities, to
provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected people in Syria, including
by promptly facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in
need of assistance in all areas under their control, and encourages further
cooperation between the United Nations, its specialized agencies and all parties
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concerned, including Syrian civil society organizations, to facilitate access and the
delivery of assistance in the entirety of the Syrian territory;
8. Demands that all parties respect the principle of medical neutrality and
facilitate free passage to all areas for medical personnel, equipment, transport and
supplies, including surgical items, and recalls that under international humanitarian
law, the wounded and sick must receive, to the fullest extent practicable, and with
the least possible delay, medical care and attention required by their condition and
that medical and humanitarian personnel, facilities and transport must be respected
and protected, and expresses grave concern in this regard at the removal of medical
supplies from humanitarian shipments;
9. Also demands that all parties take all appropriate steps to protect civilians,
including members of ethnic, religious and confessional communities, and stresses
that, in this regard, the primary responsibility to protect its population lies with the
Syrian authorities;
10. Further demands that all parties demilitarize medical facilities, schools
and other civilian facilities and avoid establishing military positions in populated
areas and desist from attacks directed against civilian objects;
11. Strongly condemns the arbitrary detention and torture of civilians in Syria,
notably in prisons and detention facilities, as well as the kidnappings, abductions
and forced disappearances, and demands the immediate end of these practices and
the release of all arbitrarily detained persons starting with women and children, as
well as sick, wounded and elderly people and including United Nations personnel
and journalists;
12. Urges all parties to take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and
security of United Nations personnel, those of its specialized agencies, and all other
personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities, without prejudice to their
freedom of movement and access, stresses that the primary responsibility in this
regard lies with the Syrian authorities and further stresses the need not to impede
these efforts;
13. Stresses the need to end impunity for violations of international
humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and reaffirms that
those who have committed or are otherwise responsible for such violations and
abuses in Syria must be brought to justice;
14. Strongly condemns the increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous
casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated
with Al-Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist groups, urges the opposition groups
to maintain their rejection of these organizations and individuals which are
responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law in oppositionheld
areas, calls upon the Syrian authorities and opposition groups to commit to
combating and defeating organizations and individuals associated with Al-Qaeda, its
affiliates and other terrorist groups, demands that all foreign fighters immediately
withdraw from Syria, and reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations
constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and
that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their
motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed;
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15. Emphasizes that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in
the absence of a political solution, welcomes in this regard the Geneva Conference
on Syria launched in Monteux on 22 January 2014, and demands that all parties
work towards the comprehensive implementation of the Geneva Communiqué of
30 June 2012 leading to a genuine political transition that meets the legitimate
aspirations of the Syrian people and enables them independently and democratically
to determine their own future, and further stresses that rapid progress on a political
solution should include full participation by all groups and segments of Syrian
society, including women, and represents the only sustainable opportunity to resolve
the situation in Syria peacefully, and that the implementation of this resolution is
key to meeting the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people;
16. Urges all Member States to contribute or increase their support to the
United Nations humanitarian appeals to meet the spiralling needs of people affected
by the crisis, and to provide this support in coordination with the relevant United
Nations agencies, and to ensure that all pledges are honoured in full, and further
urges all Member States, based on burden-sharing principles, to support the
neighbouring host countries to enable them to respond to the growing humanitarian
needs, including by providing direct support;
17. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council on the
implementation of this resolution by all parties in Syria, in particular paragraphs 2
through 12, in 30 days of its adoption and every 30 days thereafter, and upon receipt
of the Secretary-General’s report, expresses its intent to take further steps in the case
of non-compliance with this resolution;
18. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
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