Battle lines blurred in Syria, ICRC says

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GENEVA, Switzerland, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was "concerned" about the sanctity of international law during the civil war in Syria as violence spirals.

Syrian opposition leaders joined forces in Qatar last weekend to form a united coalition to counter the regime of President Bashar Assad in Damascus. Despite that progress, civil war continues in the country.

Last week, ICRC President Peter Maurer said that despite the best efforts of the non-governmental organizations the "humanitarian situation is getting worse" in Syria.

Robert Mardini, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East, said the situation in Syria was spiraling out of control as the distinction between civilian and military objectives becomes blurred.

"As the violence intensifies, particularly in urban settings, we are becoming increasingly concerned about the capacity of all parties to the conflict to adhere to basic principles of international humanitarian law," he said in a statement.

Mardini said some aid was getting to parts of Syria like Homs.

"It is a permanent challenge to strike a balance between the need to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and the need to bring aid without any discrimination to all people who require it," he added.