The United Nations — or at least its envoy Lakhdar Brahimi — finally admitted defeat in its attempts to resolve the Syrian crisis on Tuesday, as Brahimi quit his post after two years.

The resignation is effective from May 31.

Brahimi said at a press conference:

Apologies once more that we haven’t been able to help [the Syrian people] as much as they deserve, as much as we should have, and also to tell them that the tragedy in their country shall be solved… they have shown incredible resilience and dignity.”

An immense majority of Syrians want peace and stability in their country and I’m sure they will get it.

Brahimi replaced former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2012, but made little progress in his efforts to halt fighting and find agreement on a political transition.

Two sets of meetings between the Assad regime and opposition were convened in Geneva in January and February, but could not even agree on an agenda for discussions.

Brahimi subsequently denounced the regime’s decision to hold a Presidential election, saying it would kill off any possibility of a transition and end to violence.

The envoy told reporters on Wednesday:

It’s not very pleasant for me. It’s very sad that I leave this position and leave Syria behind in such a bad state.

Everybody who has responsibility and an influence in the situation has to remember that the question is how many more dead? How much more destruction is there going to be before Syria becomes again the Syria we have known.

Video: Rebels Seize Weapon Stores in Rural Hama Province

Insurgents claims they captured the depot near Khattab, east of the North Hama Plain:

Video: Close Call for Cameraman From Barrel Bomb in Damascus Suburb of Darayya

Officials: We Are Resuming Water Supplies to Aleppo

Syrian officials say they are gradually resuming the supply of water to neighborhoods in Aleppo after a cut-off of almost two weeks.

The director of the Aleppo water and sanitation company, Mustafa Malhes, said the main pumping station in Suleiman al-Halabi was operating again, and water would return to all parts of Syria’s largest city by Wednesday evening.

The Red Crescent says it is involved in the effort:

The regime has accused insurgents, who control a major electricity station, of disrupting the water supply. The opposition counters that regime shelling damaged the pumping station and Syrian authorities delayed repairs.

See Is An Insurgent Cut-Off Adding to Water Crisis in Aleppo?

Assad Challenger Hajjar Announces Election Platform

The two challengers to President Assad in the June 3 election have announced their campaign platform.

MP Majed Hajjar’s declaration differed little from Assad’s statements. The candidate called for “strongest relations…with national and social liberation movements” and support of the Palestinian cause, as well as a “full boycott (of) the Zionist-Imperialist project in the region and…the Arab reactionary regimes.

At home, Hajjar said he would achieve “newly national duties to build a strong-secular state” wiht “the highest possible growth, social justice, raising capital revenues…(and) gigantic investment projects”.

As for the 39-month uprising, Hajjar matched the regime line of “a general amnesty that turns the page of the last three years and striking with an iron fist anyone who dares (challenge) the state’s sovereignty where we live in a country without blood, destruction or sabotage”.

Businessman Hassan al-Nouri, a former head of the Syrian Chamber of Commerce, said he “agrees with the other candidates on many points (but) differs with them in other issues”.

However, his interview on State TV emphasized “the national principles on which all agree”, while hailing the democratic process and the Syrian army.

4 Killed by Insurgent Car Bomb in Damascus

Four people were killed by an insurgent car bomb in al-Arin near Damascus.

State news agency SANA said the blast was close to a “schools compound”. The opposition Shaam News Network said the bomb targeted a housing area of the Republican Guards.