Oil-less Syrians continue to get massacred – shame

(CNN) — International officials in a Syrian-led mission will attempt to gauge humanitarian conditions across the turbulent nation this weekend as world powers push for open entree to provide much-needed relief.

This comes as the Syrian conflict enters its second year, with President Bashar al-Assad’s fierce crackdown against anti-government enclaves showing no signs of ending. More than 8,000 civilians have been killed during the conflict, the United Nations says, but opposition activists said the overall toll is more than 9,000, mostly civilians.

The numbers have exceeded 9,700 and are “fast approaching 10,000,” said Rafif Jouejati, spokeswoman for the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition activist network.

Valerie Amos, U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said Thursday the government will lead a mission to the provinces of Homs, Hama, Tartous, Latakia, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Rif Damashq and Daraa. U.N. and Organization of Islamic Cooperation officials will accompany the mission, she said.

“It is increasingly vital that humanitarian organizations have unhindered access to identify urgent needs and provide emergency care and basic supplies,” she said in a written statement. “There is no time to waste.”