(MENAFN) The UN Secretary-General's Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement released on Friday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expresses his deep concern of "civilians caught up in an escalation of fighting across southwestern Syria, close to the border with Jordan".
The statement said "an uptick in conflict involving both ground offensives and aerial bombardments had resulted in the displacement of thousands of civilians, the majority of whom are moving towards the Jordanian border".
"The Secretary-General is also concerned at the significant risks these offensives pose to regional security", the statement continued.
The UN chief called for "an immediate end to the current military escalation" and urged all parties to the more than seven-year war, "to respect their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure."
"Recalling the de-escalation and ceasefire arrangements that have provided relative calm in southwestern Syria over the past year, the Secretary-General urges all to exercise restraint and uphold these commitments as a matter of priority," the statement concluded.
MENAFN2306201800450000ID1097061219
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.