UN chief Ban appeals for Ramadan truce across Syria

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed on Monday for forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebel fighters in Syria to put down their weapons during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, Ban said Ramadan is one of the four months on the Islamic calendar during which fighting is supposed to cease. "For the sake of the Syrian people, therefore, I would like to call on all parties in Syria to respect this religious obligation for at least, at a minimum, one month," Ban said on the eve of Ramadan, which begins on Tuesday. (Reuters)