UN Secretary-General calls for end to bloodshed in Syria

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Photo: THX/TTXVN

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Guterres also urged “all those with influence to do their part for the (Syrian) people who are suffering persistently,” and declared that all parties have an obligation to protect civilians.

The escalation of the conflict in Syria is the result of a “chronic collective failure” in diplomacy, the UN Secretary-General said. “After 14 years of conflict, it is time for all parties to seriously engage with my Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to develop a new, inclusive and comprehensive approach to resolving this crisis in line with Security Council Resolution 2254,” he said. Resolution 2254 was adopted by the UN Security Council in 2015 to set a roadmap for a political transition in Syria.

On the same day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a phone call with UN Secretary-General Guterres. During the call, the Turkish leader said that a new “peacefully managed” phase had been reached in the conflict in Syria.

The Turkish president's office quoted Erdogan as telling the UN chief that President Bashar al-Assad's government needed to quickly engage with its people to "urgently" reach a "political solution" to the civil war. The Turkish leader affirmed that Ankara was working to help ease tensions, protect civilians and pave the way for a political solution in Syria.

Earlier on December 5, facing fierce attacks by rebel forces in Hama, the Syrian army was forced to redeploy its forces outside this strategic city.

For his part, speaking after taking control of Hama city, rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani declared that his forces would “not take revenge”.

Hama is strategically important for the Syrian army, serving as a buffer zone to protect the capital Damascus. The clashes took place after rebels led by Islamist groups launched a lightning offensive, capturing important territories, including Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo, from President al-Assad's government in just a few days.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/tong-thu-ky-lien-hop-quoc-keu-goi-cham-dut-do-mau-o-syria-236189.html