Annan's technical team in Syria

The technical team of Kofi Annan, the joint envoy of the United Nations and the Arab League for tackling the Syrian crisis, has arrived in the country starting a three-day mission, according to the local press on Monday. Al-Watan daily said the team that arrived in the country late on Sunday would hold talks with the deputy foreign minister, Faisal Al-Muqdad. Meanwhile, Valerie Amos, in charge of UN humanitarian operations, declared that the UN teams would take part in a mission for assessing humanitarian conditions in the country. The mission, due to involve UN experts and representatives of the Islamic Cooperation Conference, would cover Homs, Hama, Tartous, Latakia, Aleppo, Deir Al-Zor, Deraa and Damascus's suburban regions.