UN envoy urges restrain in Syria

MOSCOW (AP) – The U.N. special envoy for Syria is calling on Russia, Syria and Israel “to refrain from military actions” following the downing of a Russian military aircraft.

Staffan de Mistura told the U.N. Security Council at the start of a meeting on Syria that new military action “would only exacerbate an already complex situation.”

He expressed concern at “worrying military activities” just as a potential major military offensive in the last major rebel stronghold in Idlib was averted following an agreement Monday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

De Mistura noted the differing statements by Russia, Syria and Israel about the downing of a Russian reconnaissance aircraft by Syria government anti-aircraft fire which killed all 15 people on board.