European Union leaders demanded during a summit in Brussels yesterday, Thursday, to stop the military attack by the Syrian regime and its allies in the Idlib governorate in northwestern Syria.
The leaders said in a joint statement that "the new military offensive by the Syrian regime and its allies in Idlib, which has caused immense human suffering, is unacceptable."
They added that "the European Union calls on all actors to immediately stop the fighting, and demands that all parties to the conflict insist that humanitarian aid be given direct and unimpeded access to all those in need."
In their statement, the European Union leaders also called for a "permanent ceasefire" and the provision of "guarantees to protect civilians".
European leaders concluded their statement by calling on the International Criminal Court to consider the situation in Syria in order to "hold accountable" violators of international humanitarian law and human rights.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned "in the strongest terms" the attacks of the Syrian regime in Idlib, saying that the region is witnessing "one of the worst human tragedies."
Take responsibility
"We cannot meet today as if nothing is happening a few thousand kilometers from us," Macron said upon arriving to participate in the summit.
He added, "For several weeks, (what is happening is) one of the worst humanitarian crises" in Idlib Governorate, the last bastion of the fighting factions in Syria, where about one million people fled the regime forces attack with Russian air support.
"I want to condemn in the strongest terms the military attacks that Bashar al-Assad's regime has waged for several weeks on the civilian population in Idlib," Macron added.
He also said, "There are ISIS fighters, fighters, terrorists, who must be fought in this battle as part of the coalition. But there are also the civilian population, aid workers, and medical centers who object to attacks."
"I ask the permanent members of the Security Council to shoulder their responsibilities. There is no justification for not respecting international humanitarian law and sacrificing the civilian population," he added.
Macron expressed his hope that the 27 European leaders will take a "strong position on this."
The attacks have killed more than 1,800 civilians and displaced more than 1 million and 300,000 to relatively calm areas or close to the Turkish border, since September 17, 2018.