UN chief urges Israel to avoid violating Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity

​​​​​​​By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel to respect Syria's sovereignty following recent airstrikes and warned against further violations that risk destabilizing the region.

"The Secretary-General is also concerned by Israel's airstrikes on Syrian territory, and calls on Israel to refrain from violations of Syria's independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.

He added that Guterres "underscores it is imperative to support a credible, orderly and inclusive political transition in Syria in line with the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254," that endorsed a road map in 2015 for a peace process and a timetable for talks.

In response to Anadolu's question about Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli calling for the "elimination" of Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara after comparing the Syrian administration to Hamas, Dujarric said: "The last
thing this region needs is more incitement to violence and more violent rhetoric."

Dujarric also conveyed the UN chief's "deep concern over the continued violence that we have seen in the Druze majority area in Suwayda government in southern Syria, which has resulted in dozens of casualties, including among civilians."

"He is disturbed by reports of arbitrarily killings of civilians, sectarian incitement and the looting of private property. He condemns all violence against civilians, especially acts that risk inflaming sectarian tensions," Dujarric said.

The UN chief urged "the interim authorities and local leaders to immediately de-escalate and to protect civilians, to restore calm and, of course, to prevent any further incitement to violence."

Guterres further urged the new government to conduct a "transparent" investigation into the incident and "hold to account those responsible for what we have seen."

More than 30 people were killed and nearly 100 others injured in clashes Monday between armed Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in Suwayda, said the Syrian Interior Ministry.

The Druze spiritual leadership expressed support for the deployment of security forces aimed at regaining control over military and security centers in Suwayda and stabilizing the region.