UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called today for an "immediate cessation" of the conflict in northwestern Syria and added that he was "deeply concerned" about the military escalation in the area.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, supported by the Russian Air Force, have intensified their bombardment of the area since December 16 as fighting continues on the ground with jihadists and rebels, despite the announced ceasefire.
Syrian forces are today a few kilometers from the city of Saraqeb in Idlib province, after having to retreat due to clashes with rebels during the previous night, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Guterres reiterated that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are "unacceptable".
"Military operations of all parties, including those against terrorist groups, must respect the rules of international humanitarian law, which includes the protection of civilians and civilian objects," said the UN Secretary General.
Idlib is largely under the control of the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other rebels. The authorities, which control about 70 percent of the Syrian territory, have announced on several occasions that they are determined to regain control over Idlib as well.
More than 380.000 people have died since the start of the war in Syria. The conflict began with the repression of opposition protests in March 2011, and over the years it became more complex with the participation of foreign countries and various jihadist groups.
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