UN chief concerned over escalating conflict in Syria

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the escalating violence in Homs, Syria, renewing his call for a political solution that "remains the only way out of this tragedy." "The Secretary-General calls on the warring sides to do their utmost to avoid civilian casualties and to allow immediate humanitarian access, as well as opportunities for trapped civilians to leave without fear of persecution," said a statement issued by his spokesperson. An estimated 2,500 people remain trapped amid heavy fighting in Homs, a city located 162 kilometers north of the capital city of Damascus. Meanwhile, Ban also expressed his concern over threats to seize two Shiite villages in the northern province of Aleppo. According to media reports, Syrian government forces launched a major offensive over the weekend to retake several rebel- controlled districts in the city of Homs. After that, Syrian rebels in the Aleppo on Monday threatened to seize two Shiite Muslim villages that back President Bashar al-Assad unless they surrendered to the opposition. The UN chief reminded all combatants of "their obligations under international law and underscores that those responsible for any atrocities will be held to account." He called once again for stopping the supply of arms to all sides and appeals to the parties in Syria and their supporters to focus instead on the search for a political solution that remains the only way out of this tragedy. According to UN figures, more than 93,000 people have been killed, and 1.5 million more have fled to neighboring countries, since fighting began in March 2011 between the Syrian government and opposition groups seeking to oust President Assad.