A/HRC/7/2 page 77 Request for a visit 353. Following a decision of the Working Group, a request for a visit was sent to the Government of the Sudan on 20 December 2005. The Working Group has not yet received a reply. Total cases transmitted, clarified and outstanding 354. In previous years and during the period under review, the Working Group has transmitted 381 cases to the Government; of those, 4 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the source, 205 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the Government and 172 cases remain outstanding. Observations 355. The Working Group is concerned about the increased number of reported cases of disappearances in the Sudan. 356. The Working Group expresses concern about the possibility of underreporting of cases that may be happening in other parts of the country, including Darfur. 357. The Working Group also reiterates its request for an invitation from the Government of the Sudan to conduct a country visit so as to assist the Government in preventing disappearances and in clarifying the 174 outstanding cases. Syrian Arab Republic Number of outstanding cases at the beginning of the period under review 16 Cases transmitted to the Government during the period under review Cases sent under Cases sent under the urgent action the standard procedure procedure 0 Number of cases on which the Government has replied 3 General allegation Prompt intervention letter Working Group request for a visit 3 Cases clarified during the period under review by: Government Non-governmental sources 1 Multiple replies on some cases N/A N/A N/A N/A 1 Number of outstanding cases at the end of the year under review 18 (see paragraph 359) Number of cases of possible clarification by Government (6-month rule) 0 Government response Government response Government response N/A N/A N/A