The guardian: Martin Chulov in Beirut. UN to Withdraw non Essential Staff from Syria!

The United Nations is preparing to evacuate all non essential staff from Syria, citing the "prevailing security situation" amid growing fears in Washington that the beleaguered regime is considering using chemical weapons. The European Union also announced it was cutting back its activities in the country and on a fast moving day of diplomatic and military action the Syrian government's foreign ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, was reported to have defected. The UN's undersecretary for safety and security, Gregory Starr, announced that the organization had also cancelled all missions to Syria from abroad, and suspended its activities inside the war ravaged country. The decision marks the final step before a full scale evacuation, a move that has not been ordered at any point during Syria's steady descent into chaos over the past 20 months. Up to 25 of about 100 foreign staff may leave this week, it said, adding that more armored vehicles were needed after attacks in recent weeks on humanitarian aid convoys and the hijacking of goods or vehicles. Some convoys were caught in crossfire between government and rebel forces, including an incident near the airport, in which two staff were injures, it said. The UN deploys more than 1,000 national and international staff in Syria, but movement and communications have become more difficult due to intensified fighting near the capital and a 48 hour internet blackout last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. While there has been intense fighting on the ground, particularly in Damascus, in the past few days, there is also growing concern that the Syrian regime is contemplating using chemical weapons. Syria on Monday denied it planned to use its chemical weapons stockpile, after reports that the US has observed officials moving some components of the program. "Syria has stressed repeatedly that it will not use these types of weapons, if they were available, under any circumstances against its people," the foreign ministry said.