Secretary-General Condemns Air Assault, Indiscriminate Shelling Targeting Aleppo, Calls on All Sides in Syria Conflict to Halt Attacks against Civilians

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns the reported intense air assault over the last several days that has killed and maimed scores of Syrian civilians, including children, and left eastern Aleppo without functioning hospitals.  He also condemns the indiscriminate shelling that has been reported in areas of Aleppo Governorate and the western parts of Aleppo city, including strikes on schools said to have killed a number of children.

The Secretary-General reminds all parties to the conflict that targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime.  He calls on all sides to immediately cease any such attacks.  Those responsible for these and other atrocities in Syria, whomever and wherever they are, must one day be brought to account.

The Secretary-General also calls on all the parties to ensure freedom of movement of civilians and immediate unhindered access to humanitarian assistance.