Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 13-03-2018
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres says despite a Security Council demand to institute a 30-day ceasefire, “Syria is bleeding inside and out”.
Airstrikes, shelling and ground offensives have intensified in Eastern Ghouta with the conflict entering its eighth year and the “grimmest” reality on the ground.
According to UN data, the conflict has produced more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees and 6.1 million internally displaced people, with more than 13 million people inside the country requiring humanitarian assistance, including nearly six million children.
Guterres has warned that in Eastern Ghouta, airstrikes, shelling and ground offensives have even intensified and claimed many hundreds of civilian lives.
“Let me highlight just one stark fact on this grimmest of anniversaries: In 2017, more children were killed in Syria than during any other year since the war began.”
Guterres says none of the Council’s directives have been implemented.
“The provision of humanitarian aid and services has not been safe, unimpeded or sustained; no sieges have been lifted and not one critically sick or wounded person has yet been evacuated.”
Guterres report also detailed latest efforts of his Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to bring about a political solution to the conflict and UN activities to address the humanitarian crisis and see Syria ‘rise from the ashes’.
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