NOURNEWS- A special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq warned on Saturday that West Asia is “at a critical juncture” amid the Gaza war and armed attacks in other parts of the region.
Jeanine Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert, a Dutch politician and diplomat, serving as Special Representative for the UN chief, particularly single-out Iraq and said: The country is in danger of being drawn further into the conflict.
Despite the government's efforts to prevent the escalation of tensions, attacks - emanating from inside and outside Iraq's borders - could destroy its hard-won stability and the gains of recent years," she warned in a statement.
The UN representative who is based in Baghdad underlined that all the efforts of the United Nations are currently focused on ending the Gaza war and preventing it from spreading to the region. "The UN Secretary-General has repeatedly called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, continued aid delivery and full respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," Hennis-Plasschaert highlighted.
“Iraq's stability and security play a fundamental role in all our interactions, and therefore we reiterate our request to all parties for maximum restraint”, she added without specifically pointing to any party.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who traveled to Uganda for the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, said: "The conflicts are spreading from Sudan to Ukraine and Gaza."
He described deaths and destruction in Gaza as unprecedented, adding that the Israeli war following the al-Aqsa Storm operation by Hamas on October 7, also calmed the lives of 152 UN staff, which he is a heartbreaking event for the world body.
Guterres said he will keep requesting for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of captives. "We must do everything we can to prevent this conflict from spreading throughout the region," he added
NOURNEWS