The bloodshed in Syria must cease

The bloodshed in Syria must cease – Kofi Annan

By: Mohammed Awal

Former United Nation’s Secretary General, Kofi Annan has called for immediate ceasefire in Syria, cautioning the parties in the conflict to exercise restraint and avoid any further bloodshed.

“I remind the parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law, and urge them to exercise restraint and avoid any further bloodshed,” he noted in a statement wired to The Chronicle by the offices of the United Nations in Accra.

According to the former UN envoy, he was concerned with reports about heavy deployment of armed men and the continuous usage of heavy artillery in Syria’s largest city of Aleppo by the Assad regime, and therefore, called on the international community to “to come together to persuade the parties involved to smoke the peace pipe for tranquility to prevail.”

In view of the bombardment and heavy shelling by the Syrian Army, Mr. Annan said it was only political transition leading to political settlement that could restore peace in Syria.

He therefore called on all parties concerned to return to the negotiation table for a possible political settlement in order to bring an end to “this looming crisis and continuous bloodshed, thus bringing long lasting peace to the door steps of the Syrian populace he echoed.”