No: 81, 31 March 2016

We strongly condemn the intensification of the attacks against civilians in Syria by the regime, targeting Turkmen villages in Latakia with artillery fire and airstrikes and the massacre of dozens of civilians, including students, hitting a school and a hospital in Deir al Asafir, located in the region of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus. We wish God’s mercy upon those innocent people who lost their lives and speedy recovery for the wounded.

Cessation of hostilities, which came into effect on February 27 and is of crucial importance for the success of the ongoing political process with a view to ending the conflict in Syria, should not be allowed to fail due to the regime’s inexplicable and unacceptable attacks. We call especially on the countries with clear influence over the regime, to stop these systematic violations and attacks of the regime.