U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underscored on Thursday the urgent need for a political solution to end the bloodshed in Sri Lanka following the government's decision to terminate the 2002 cease-fire agreement with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, Xinhua reported. In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban said he is deeply worried that the withdrawal from the accord comes amidst intensifying fighting in the north and increasing violence across the country, including capital Colombo. "The secretary-general urges all concerned to ensure the protection of civilians and enable humanitarian assistance to be provided to affected areas," the spokesperson added.
