United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate de-escalation in Syria after Israel carried out raids inside the war-torn country. Guterres is “following closely the alarming military escalation throughout Syria and the dangerous spillover across its borders,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Israel targeted what it said were Iranian positions inside Syria after one of its warplanes was hit by Syrian air defences and crashed. “He calls on all to work for an immediate and unconditional de-escalation of violence and exercise restraint,” Dujarric said. Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon called on the Security Council “to condemn this dangerous act and to put an immediate end to Iranian provocations.”Diplomats, however, said there were no immediate plans to convene a council meeting despite the sharp rise in tensions.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 11, 2018 03:33 UTC