The State Department said in a statement today that the State of Qatar is following with great concern the escalation of events in and around the city of Idlib, towards a military escalation that threatens an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the twenty-first century.

The statement added that the State of Qatar joins the voice of countries that have warned of the consequences of this attack, which its first victims will be innocent civilians, especially women, children and old people, who have nothing to do with the conflict between the conflicting parties in Syria, pointing out that the moral and humanitarian duty of the international community and the forces of war in Syria must move to stop this catastrophic attack before it is too late.

"If this abhorrent attack threatens the lives of thousands of innocent people and destroys thousands of families, the consequences of this far-reaching attack will last for years. The containment of the consequences of this potential catastrophe will be impossible, in light of the devastation in all areas of Syria, and the inability of the international community and the continuation of the Syrian regime in its hostile policies against its people.