Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe has said that Reliable sources indicate the Syrian army is carrying out a major operation in the city at the centre of popular protests against the country’s Government. According to a statement of UN, received by AIR in Dubai on Thursday, he told that Council members that the UN is requesting urgent access to the southern city of Deraa so that it can assess the humanitarian needs on the ground. He alleged that Syrian forces are firing at unarmed civilians, preventing medical personnel from helping the wounded, raiding mosques and arresting many others. The statement also said that the UN has confirmed that electricity, communication systems and water in Deraa have been cut since Monday, forcing the closure of schools and health-care facilities operated by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the city. Syrian Ambassador to UN Bashar Jaafari however said the country’s security forces had exercised the utmost restraint to avoid the killings of civilians. He said that armed criminal elements – supported by some foreign countries and extremist groups – were responsible for the violence. He added that the Government would continue to undertake reform measures and try to satisfy the legitimate demands of its people. Meanwhile reports say that more than 200 members of ruling Baath Party of Syria have resigned over the alleged violent repression of pro-democracy protests.