BFF-40 Syrian man sets himself on fire outside UN building: police

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Syrian man sets himself on fire outside UN building: police

GENEVA, Oct 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Syrian Kurdish man set himself on fire
Wednesday outside the headquarters of the United Nations refugee agency and
was receiving treatment for his injuries, police told AFP.

The 31-year-old German resident did not provide any explanation for his
actions, Geneva police spokesman Silvain Guillaume-Gentil said.

“We can imagine his reasons, but we do not have anything concrete,”
Guillaume-Gentil said. “He had a hard time expressing himself when help
arrived.”

Kurds have organised a series of demonstrations to protest the assault that
Turkey launched on October 9 against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria.

The incident occurred shortly before 8:00 am (0600 GMT) outside UNHCR,
which is across the street from the Palais des Nations, the UN’s European
headquarters.

Responders arrived quickly and the injured man was transported by
helicopter to a hospital in Lausanne, where he was being treated for his
injuries, police said.

BSS/AFP/SSS/1750 hrs