UAE expresses grave concern over military escalation in Aleppo.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed grave concern over the military escalation in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the unjustified bombing of innocent civilians there, and killing and wounding of hundreds of citizens.

This was part of a statement read today by Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League, before a session of the league's extraordinary session, to discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Aleppo. The session was attended by Ahmed Abul Ghait, Secretary-General of the Arab League.

The UAE stressed the need to rally Arab, regional and international efforts to reach a ceasefire and to encourage all Syrian parties to return to the negotiations table within the framework of Geneva 1 and to implement all relevant Security Council resolutions.

Al Junaibi called on the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to double efforts to put an end to the military escalation and to go back to the political track to address the Syrian crisis.

"Such a track would create a perfect environment to providing humanitarian aid to the Syrians and to step up the reconstruction efforts. Day by day, the pain increases due to the plight of the Syrian people inside and outside their country. It is very hard for this crisis to be resolved through military escalation that targets innocent civilians," he added.

He underlined the UAE's view that military solution will not be in the interest of Syrian people and that a political solution, which entails a serious dialogue among the Syrians, is the only way to resolve the crisis.

Al Junaibi also said the UAE has repeatedly called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities against these barbaric and inhumane acts and to work towards halting the bombing and securing access of humanitarian aid to all Syrian territories.

In his statement, Al Junaibi expressed the UAE's strong denunciation of the heinous Houthi attack which targeted a civilian vessel owned by the UAE's National Marine Dredging Company while on a routine trip to the city of Aden to deliver medical and relief aid, and evacuate the wounded civilians in order to complete their treatment outside Yemen.

"This act of terror shows the sinister intentions of the Houthis and their allies against the people of Yemen," he said, adding that such abominable acts of targeting relief aid vessels, represents a stark violation of the international humanitarian laws and norms and poses a threat to international navigation through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.

"This is a serious indication of threats facing civilian and commercial ships crossing this vital international waterway. This act of terror undermines all regional and international efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of the brotherly people of Yemen," he said.