Secretary-General Calls for Immediate Cessation of Hostilities in North-West Syria

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the ongoing military escalation in north-west Syria and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.  He reaffirms that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including on health care and educational facilities, are unacceptable.

Military operations of all parties, including actions against and by designated terrorist groups, must respect the rules and obligations of international humanitarian law, which include the protection of civilians and civilian objects.

The Secretary-General reiterates that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict.  The only path to stability is a credible and inclusive United Nations-facilitated political solution pursuant to Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).