U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is urging an end to the war in Syria as the world marks 10 years since the start of the deadly conflict, which Guterres called a “living nightmare.” Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions displaced, and the U.N. warns some 60% of Syrians are at risk of hunger this year. This is Secretary-General Guterres.

Secretary-General António Guterres: “It is impossible to fully fathom the extent of the devastation in Syria, but its people have endured some of the greatest crimes the world has witnessed this century. And the scale of the atrocities shocks the consciences. Their perpetrators must be held to account if there is to be sustainable peace in Syria.”

Syria has also been faced with a worsening economic crisis due to the pandemic over the past year, exacerbated by sweeping U.S. sanctions. Earlier this week, President Bashar al-Assad and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.