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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis, while welcoming a unilateral ceasefire announced by Russia in Syria's northern city of Aleppo.
Ban told the UN General Assembly that the humanitarian pause will pave the way for the implementation of the UN's medical evacuation plan in Aleppo where "the conflict continues to reach new and awful depths."
"But this is the bare minimum. It is far from enough. We need full humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo," said Ban.
According to Ban, nearly 500 people have been killed and 2,000 injured in eastern Aleppo since Sept. 23 when the most sustained and intensive aerial bombardment began.
He also noted that the eastern Aleppo has been besieged and no UN convoy has entered since July. "Food rations will run out by the end of the month."
Once Syria's economic hub, Aleppo has been the scene of fierce fighting between government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition forces seeking to oust him.
The UN estimates that 275,000 civilians are trapped in the eastern parts of the city. Among them, 100,000 are children.
Ban said he regrets that the Security Council has failed to discharge its responsibilities to uphold peace and security for Syria and that he is appalled that regional rivalries have taken primacy over the needs of the Syrian people.
"The central issue is and must remain a credible political transition," said Ban. "I call on all of you to cooperate and fulfil your collective responsibility to protect."
