This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.
Thursday 03 Mar 2016 - 12:27 Makkah mean time-23-5-1437
Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner (Image from Internet)
Washington (IINA) – The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it is working to fix language issues with staff at a 24-hour telephone hotline it set up for Syrians to report alleged violations of the ceasefire that took effect last weekend, AP reported.
Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that at least some of the volunteer operators taking calls were not fluent enough in Arabic to accurately log the allegations. He said the department is in the process of ensuring that the matter is addressed. The issue came to light when several Arabic speakers called the hotline to report alleged truce violations but said they were unsure if the operators understood them fully.
The hotline is one of several ways, including email, text and Google Voice, that the State Department set up to report alleged truce violations to the United States. The contact numbers have been posted at various online sites in English and Arabic. Syrians can also contact the United Nations and other members of the international ceasefire task force to report breaches.
Toner also said the U.S. was aware of reports that the Syrian government may have used chemical weapons in attacks on opposition forces since the truce came into force. However, he stressed twice that the reports were not confirmed and were still under investigation.
Overall, he said U.S. officials had seen "undeniably an overall reduction in airstrikes on the Syrian opposition and civilians" since the truce began at midnight on Saturday.
AB/IINA
|
No comments:
Post a Comment