Head of Arab parliament seeks Syria ceasefire

Cairo - Al Selmi said the bombing of the besieged enclave has caused the killing and wounding of hundreds of civilians, mostly women and children.

Arab Parliament President Meshal Al Selmi on Friday called for an immediate halt to the ongoing bombing in the Eastern Ghouta region and rest of Syria.
In a cable to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Al Selmi said the bombing of the besieged enclave has caused the killing and wounding of hundreds of civilians, mostly women and children.
He stated that the siege had led to the worsening of conditions, as delivery of food and medicine to residents had been suspended.
Al Selmi said the daily bombing of civilian areas was a "heinous" crime against humanity and in violations of international humanitarian laws and conventions.
Describing the shelling as "unjustified" and tantamount to war crimes, he called on the international community to immediately intervene to stop these crimes.
He urged the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and take "urgent, effective and serious steps" on the ground for the protection of Syrian civilians from the daily bombardment, explosives and toxic gases.