The UN will submit a detailed report to the Security Council later this month on Israeli violations in Syria, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, and urged the removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria.
Speaking at a news conference in Damascus on Sunday, Guterres stressed that violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are "unacceptable", urging Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
“The atrocities Syria has witnessed have not broken the Syrian people’s resolve to pursue their legitimate aspirations,” he added.
He also warned that UN humanitarian assistance currently meets only about 20 percent of the Syrian people’s needs.
Guterres also urged the removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria during the Assad regime as he concluded a two-day visit to the country.
"I welcome steps that have eased sanctions and opened new possibilities for economic recovery, but all these sanctions must be removed immediately," Guterres told a press conference in Damascus.
Guterres said his visit to Sednaya Prison revealed the scale of the horrors endured there, where tens of thousands of people were killed and tortured by Assad regime.
He voiced determination to do everything possible to support Syria’s internationally backed transition, which he said is moving in the right direction.
The UN chief said the transitional justice process in Syria is underway, underlining the need to ensure accountability for all crimes committed in recent years.
