Guterres appeals for ceasefire, peace talks in Syria

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed to all parties to enhance ceasefire in Syria and end the country's six-year war through peace talks.

In a statement, Guterres called on all parties to make the most of the ceasefire established by the Astana meetings, enhance it further and ensure that humanitarian aid can reach all those in need in Syria without any obstacles and impediments, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also called on those with influence on parties to the Syrian conflict to overcome differences and work together to facilitate the intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva for ending the conflict.

"Peace in Syria is a moral and political imperative both for the Syrian people and for the world -- an imperative that cannot wait," said Guterres.

The Syrian war started on March 15, 2011 and evolved into a full-fledged war that involves outside powers. According to a monitor group, as many as 320,000 people have been killed during the war.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said among those being killed, there were 17,400 children and 11,000 women.

--IANS

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