NEW YORK: The current flareup of the Syrian civil war is the “bitter fruit of a chronic collective failure” to agree a nationwide ceasefire and implement Security Council resolutions, the UN secretary-general said on Thursday.
Calling for the restoration of Syria’s “sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity,” Antonio Guterres added that “after 14 years of conflict, it’s high time for all parties to engage seriously with Geir Pedersen, my special envoy for Syria, to finally chart a new, inclusive and comprehensive approach to resolving this crisis, in line with Security Council Resolution 2254. It’s time for serious dialogue.”
Resolution 2254, adopted in 2015, outlines a roadmap for a political resolution to the conflict, calling for a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a Syrian-led political process involving all parties.
It emphasizes free and fair elections, constitutional reform and a transitional government, with the goal of achieving peace and stability in Syria.
The civil war, which had been at a stalemate for the past few years, was reignited last week when a coalition of opposition forces, including Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham — which is sanctioned by the UN Security Council — and an umbrella group of Turkey-backed militias called the Syrian National Army launched their largest offensive against the government in years.
They quickly swept through villages outside Aleppo, the largest city in Syria, much of which they now control. They met little resistance there as the Syrian military quickly withdrew.
On Thursday, they swept into the central city of Hama from which government forces again redeployed.
Rebels now appear to be heading further south, inching ever closer to the capital Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power.
There have been reports of civilian casualties, displacements of tens of thousands of people, damage to civilian infrastructure, and interruptions in essential services and humanitarian aid.
Guterres discussed the current “grave developments” with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He told reporters in New York that he emphasized to Erdogan “all” parties’ obligations to protect civilians, “the urgent need for immediate humanitarian access to all civilians in need, and a return to the UN-facilitated political process to end the bloodshed.”
Erdogan’s office said he told the UN chief that the conflict has reached a new phase that is “being managed calmly.”
Guterres said: “Syria is a crossroads of civilization. It’s painful to see its progressive fragmentation.”
He added that during his tenure as high commissioner for refugees, he witnessed “the immense generosity” of the Syrian people who opened “their hearts and their homes” to countless Iraqi refugees.
“There were no refugee camps in Syria. Refugees lived among the Syrian people,” he said. “It breaks my heart to see their suffering grow, along with the threats to regional and indeed international security.”
Guterres again urged “all those with influence to do their part for the long-suffering people of Syria.”
