12th March, 2018
Efforts to combat terrorist groups in Syria “do not supersede’’ obligations to stop fighting, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres said on Monday.
He also stressed the need for the UN call for a ceasefire to be heeded.
Security Council diplomats have accused Russia of flouting the agreement by replacing it with a five-hour daily humanitarian ceasefire.
The ceasefire resolution included a clause exempting efforts to fight terrorist groups from the humanitarian pause, which Russia has been accused of exploiting.
READ: Syria War: UNICEF says 1.5m suffered permanent physical, psychological injuries
Guterres said he was “deeply disappointed’’ by the parties, who “by action or inaction, by design or indifference’’ allowed fighting to continue in areas including besieged Eastern Ghouta.
Guterres said the conflict is generally diminishing in intensity but there has been no cessation in hostilities.
In Eastern Ghouta, airstrikes, shelling and ground offensives had intensified after the resolution was adopted, he said.
“To the UN’s knowledge, not a single critically sick or wounded person had been evacuated since the Security Council called for a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire on Feb. 24,’’ Guterres said.