I. Introduction
1. The present report is the twenty-eighth submitted pursuant to paragraph 17 of Security Council resolution 2139 (2014), paragraph 10 of Council resolution 2165 (2014), paragraph 5 of Council resolution 2191 (2014) and paragraph 5 of Council resolution 2258 (2015), in which the Council requested me to report, every 30 days, on the implementation of the resolutions by all parties to the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic.
2. The information contained herein is based on the data available to United Nations agencies on the ground, from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, other Syrian sources and open sources. Data from United Nations agencies on their humanitarian deliveries have been reported for the period from 1 to 31 May 2016. More recent data have been included when available.
II. Major developments
A. Developments on the ground
3. During the reporting period, the cessation of hostilities faced its most significant threat since it entered into force on 27 February. On 24 May, 39 non-State armed opposition groups issued a statement in which they threatened to withdraw from the cessation of hostilities within 48 hours, although they remained silent after the ultimatum expired. Efforts by the International Syria Support Group and the United Nations to reduce the violence continued. On 5 May, the United States of America and the Russian Federation brokered a 48-hour “regime of silence”, which was established in Aleppo. On 24 May, a 72-hour “regime of silence” was launched to cover Darayya and eastern Ghutah, Rif Dimashq governorate.
4. In line with resolution 2258 (2015), the following description of developments on the ground reports on the compliance by all parties in the Syrian Arab Republic with resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014). This information is without prejudice to the work of the International Syria Support Group Task Force on the Ceasefire.
5. Fighting continued during the reporting period, especially in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Ladhiqiyah and Rif Dimashq governorates. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that the number of violations and abuses of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights documented during the reporting period rose significantly in certain areas, such as Aleppo and Rif Dimashq, compared with previous months.
6. In a note verbale to OHCHR dated 6 June, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic informed the Office that, in May, more than 270 persons had allegedly been killed and more than 653 injured as a result of “terrorist” attacks. It provided a detailed list of casualties in the governorates of Aleppo, Damascus, Dayr al-Zawr, Hama, Hasakah, Homs, Idlib, Ladhiqiyah, Rif Dimashq and Tartus. While some incidents, such as those in Ladhiqiyah and Tartus, probably corresponded to those recorded by OHCHR, the Office was unable to independently verify those allegations.
7. Open sources, including monitoring groups, reported a higher death toll in May as a result of actions by all parties to the conflict. The United Nations was not able to independently verify those allegations, however.