The United Nations peace envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has ended his trip to the country, warning against the rising civilian deaths in the ongoing crisis plaguing the Arab nation.

In a statement on Wednesday, de Mistura condemned Syrian militants for their deadly attacks on civilian areas, especially the most recent ones on Damascus and Aleppo.

Militants launched a deadly attack on the western side of the Aleppo city on Monday, killing 34 people, including 12 children. Another attack on a garden in central Damascus on Tuesday killed nine more civilians.

A spokeswoman for de Mistura said that the UN diplomat has highlighted “the necessity of protecting civilians.”

According to the statement, de Mistura “underscored the dire humanitarian situation on the ground and … insisted on greater access to besieged areas and conflict-affected communities, particularly in light of the (Muslim fasting) month of Ramadan.”

During his three-day trip to Syria, de Mistura met with President Bashar al-Assad and briefed him on the latest efforts the UN has undertaken in the framework of consultations in Geneva with various parties to the Syrian conflict.

In a fresh attempt aimed at resolving the crises in Syria, de Mistura launched consultations with regional and local players on Syria’s conflict in Geneva on May 5. Government officials and members of the foreign-based Syrian opposition as well as representatives from regional countries are involved in the talks which will continue until July.

MS/HMV/GHN