The suspension of air operations forces the cancellation of at least one UN humanitarian air flight
March 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has been “concerned” by the attacks that the Syrian authorities have denounced against the Aleppo International Airport by Israeli troops and that has left operations suspended.
Guterres’s deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, explained at a press conference that this concern is due to the fact that the attacks have caused material damage and the closure of the airport, including the cancellation of a United Nations humanitarian air service flight.
“The Secretary General reminds all parties that they must respect their obligations under International Law, including International Humanitarian Law, as appropriate,” Haq said.
Likewise, it has reiterated “its appeal to all parties involved to avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.”
For his part, the UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has warned the United Nations Security Council of the “progressive increase in hostilities, including air strikes”, stressing the need to avoid “at all costs”. a broader escalation.
“A sustained calm will also be an essential ingredient of donor confidence when considering their support for rehabilitation and recovery efforts,” he said.
With this attack, it is the second time that the Aleppo airport has been targeted by the Israeli Armed Forces in recent weeks. In early March, air traffic was temporarily suspended for several days to carry out repair operations after the previous attack.
This airport was receiving numerous flights with international humanitarian aid for those affected by the earthquakes that struck the border area between Turkey and Syria on February 6, leaving more than 50,000 dead in both countries, including nearly 6,000 in Syrian territory.
Israel generically recognizes attacks in Syria arguing that it acts to prevent the establishment of Iranian bases in the country and the shipment of weapons to the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah by the Iranian authorities, which support Damascus within the framework of the war that broke out in 2011.
