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UN Chief Establishing Inquiry into Attacks on Civilian Targets in Syria's
Idlib

Margaret Besheer

   UNITED NATIONS - U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres announced
   Thursday that he is setting up an internal inquiry into attacks in a
   de-escalation zone in northwest Syria, where numerous hospitals have
   been targeted in recent months.

   "I believe that this inquiry can produce an important result," Guterres
   told reporters. "I can guarantee that everything will be done to make
   sure that this board of inquiry acts with full objectivity, not to
   prove anything, but to simply say what the truth is."

   Since the end of April, the government of Syrian President Bashar
   al-Assad, with support from Russian aircraft, hasstepped up bombing and
   shelling in the de-escalation zone in Idlib governorate.

   U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said earlier this week that
   satellite imagery shows 17 villages have been severely damaged and
   emptied since the military escalation began. He said at least 450
   civilians have been killed, including more than 100 in the last two
   weeks alone, and about 440,000 people have been displaced.

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