Secretary-General, Condemning Aleppo Hospital Attack, Says All Parties in Syria Must Renew Focus on Political Process Instead of Bombing Civilian Areas

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns yesterday’s aerial strikes against Al Quds hospital in Aleppo.  Civil society groups report at least 20 people killed as a result of the attack, including three children and the area’s last paediatrician.  The Secretary-General expresses his deep condolences to the bereaved families.

The Secretary-General also reiterates his condemnation of recent indiscriminate shelling by Government forces and opposition groups, as well as terrorist tactics by extremists.  Attacks that target civilians are inexcusable violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.  There must be accountability for these crimes.

The Secretary-General calls on the warring sides in Syria to immediately renew their commitment to the cessation of hostilities.  He encourages the International Syria Support Group, in particular its two co-chairs, the Russian Federation and the United States, to exert pressure on all concerned to stop the fighting and to ensure credible investigations of incidents such as the attack on Al Quds hospital.

The Secretary-General is convinced that only an agreement in line with the 2012 Geneva communiqué and Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) can lead to a solution to the conflict in Syria.  Instead of bombing civilian areas, all Syrian parties must renew their focus on a political process.