UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday that its failure to adopt resolutions that could have ended Syrian crisis escalated the conflict.
Ban, while addressing the 15-member body regretted that the Security Council had failed to exercise its ‘pre-eminent responsibility” on Syria, adding that ending Aleppo carnage was “long overdue”.
The UN chief challenged the Council to “do all we can to stop the carnage” and ensure that all the parties in the “wretched” conflict seek an inclusive political resolution.
“The General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to urge preventative action by this Council on Aleppo.
“But, when presented with opportunities to do so over the last three months, this Council has failed to do so.
“Since September, the Security Council has failed to adopt three resolutions that could have enabled a humanitarian truce, evacuation of civilians and the entry of lifesaving aid.
“I have said before that we have collectively failed the people of Syria. The Security Council has not exercised its pre-eminent responsibility with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security.
“History will not easily absolve us, but this failure compels us to do even more to offer the people of Aleppo our solidarity at this moment,” Ban told the Security Council.
According to him, the immediate task “is to do all we can to stop the carnage”.
“As the battle for Aleppo concludes, I call on the Syrian authorities and their allies, Russia and Iran, to honour their obligations under international humanitarian law.
“They must urgently allow the remaining civilians to escape the area and facilitate access for all humanitarian actors and the delivery of critically important assistance.”
Ban said that during the last 48 hours, the world had witnessed an almost complete collapse of armed opposition front-lines, leaving them with only five per cent of their original territory in the city.
“We have seen shocking videos of a body burning in the street, ostensibly after aerial bombardment of civilians.
“This includes women and children, in four neighbourhoods being rounded up and executed,” Ban said, noting statements from UN human rights chief, Zeid Hussein.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier on Tuesday, Hussein pleaded with the international community “to heed the cries” of the women, men and children being terrorised and slaughtered in Aleppo.
“The crushing of Aleppo, the immeasurably terrifying toll on its people, the bloodshed, the wanton slaughter of men, women and children, the destruction – and we are nowhere near the end of this cruel conflict.
“What is happening with Aleppo could repeat itself in Douma, in Raqqa, in Idleb. We cannot let this continue.
“What can happen next, if the international community continues to collectively wring its hands, can be much more dangerous,” he warned.
Hussein said OHCHR had received credible reports of scores of civilians being killed – either by intense bombardment or summary execution by pro-Government forces.
“Dozens of bodies reportedly litter the streets of a number of east Aleppo neighbourhoods, with residents unable to retrieve them due to the intense bombardment and fear of being shot.
“Government forces and their allies are also reportedly entering civilian homes and killing people,” the human rights chief lamented.
He said reports from multiple sources confirmed pro-Government forces killed at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, on Monday.
“The world is watching Aleppo – and we are documenting the violations being committed against its people, with the firm conviction that one day those who are responsible will be held to account.
“We must ensure that this happens. The hellish suffering to which the people of Syria are being subjected must stop,” he said.
NAN recalls that on Friday, the UN General Assembly, the universal body comprising all 193 Members States of the
