UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in northwest Syria and the tragic suffering of civilians, said his spokesman on Tuesday.
The ongoing offensive in northwest Syria has displaced almost 900,000 civilians since Dec. 1, often multiple times for individuals. Hundreds have been killed during the same period, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.
Young children are dying from the cold. Hostilities are now approaching densely populated areas. People are on the move in freezing temperatures in search of safety which has become ever more difficult, said the statement.
The secretary-general calls for an immediate cease-fire and for respect for international humanitarian law, it said.
There is no military solution. The only path to stability is a credible and inclusive UN-facilitated political solution, said the statement.
Earlier Tuesday, Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said incessant airstrikes and shelling continue to exact a heavy toll on the civilian population in Idlib and surrounding areas.
On Monday, seven communities in Idlib and four communities in Aleppo governorates reportedly were struck by artillery shelling, while airstrikes affected 12 communities, Haq told a daily press briefing.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also verified appalling incidents where camps for displaced persons -- the very places where families have fled to seek safety -- have been affected by bombardments, he said.
He quoted the World Health Organization as saying that since Dec. 1, dozens of health facilities have suspended services in the Idlib and Aleppo areas. Out of nearly 550 health facilities in northwest Syria, only about half are operational.
