Ki-moon: Syrian conflict has contributed to the spread of terrorism

The Syrian conflict is a major threat to international peace and security and has contributed to the spread of terrorism, Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki-moon said yesterday.

In a statement released late last night on the anniversary of the horrific attack launched by the Syrian regime on Ghouta are of Damascus, Ban expressed “sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones”, calling on the international community to “remember those who perished in this inhuman act”.

Opposition groups accuse the Syrian regime of committing a massacre by using chemical weapons on August 21 last year, killing more than 1,500 people dead a further 5,000 suffered from the effects of suffocation.

The Secretary-General described the events as “a horrific attack that shocked the conscience of the world”.

He said: “Since the attack, and the Syrian conflict has not only gone on unabated, but it spilled over into neighbouring countries, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe and fueling further human rights violations and crimes against humanity, and contributing to the conflict also in creating conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism.”

“The Syrian conflict continues to pose a major threat to international peace and security,” he explained, ” the international community has a moral duty to unify the positions immediately and help put an end to this conflict, which destabilise the entire region. “

“The United Nations, the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy for Syria, are committed to continue making every effort in the pursuit of this goal.”