ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, told Rudaw on Wednesday that Guterres is “alarmed” by deadly clashes in Aleppo, calling for deescalation.
On Tuesday, Rudaw’s Namo Abdullah asked Dujarric about the attacks by Syrian state forces on the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, which began that day. Dujarric said the UN was closely monitoring the situation.
“Turning to Syria, particularly developments in the northeast, which Namo raised yesterday, I can tell you that the Secretary-General is alarmed by reports of civilian deaths and injuries following hostilities in Aleppo,” he said on Wednesday.
“The UN reiterates that all parties have a clear obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We call on all actors to immediately de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint, and take all measures to prevent further harm to civilians,” he added.
Syrian state forces and Kurdish internal security forces (Asayish), which control the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in northern Aleppo, have been engaged in intense fighting since Tuesday. Both sides have traded blame and reported casualties, most of whom are civilians.
The clashes have taken place despite a landmark agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the interim government in Damascus, which includes a nationwide ceasefire. Another agreement, which was signed a month later, focuses on the two neighborhoods.
“We continue to encourage all parties to demonstrate flexibility and goodwill on both the military and political tracks and to promptly resume negotiations in order to fully implement the March 10 agreement,” Dujarric said on Wednesday.
When Abdulla asked a follow-up question about the tensions, Dujarric said they are not only concerned about “what is happening on the ground but also about the rhetoric.