United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made history on Tuesday by becoming the first U.N. rights chief to visit Syria, arriving in the capital, Damascus.
Türk, an Austrian lawyer, will stay in Syria and Lebanon from Jan. 14 to 16, meeting with local officials, civil society groups, diplomats and U.N. bodies, according to a U.N. statement.
Türk’s visit comes after the ousting of Syria's Bashar Assad last month, following a swift anti-regime offensive.
This development has fueled hopes for accountability for the crimes committed during Syria’s over 13-year civil war.
Under Assad’s rule, many U.N. officials and rights groups were denied access to the country for investigations into alleged violations.
Türk’s office did not immediately provide details on how often previous attempts for access were made by him or his predecessors.
