UN chief urges all sides in East Ukraine to respect cease-fire

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the deadly shelling of a bus in Donetsk, East Ukraine, and urged all sides to respect the cease- fire.

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban is " deeply disturbed" at the renewed escalation in fighting in East Ukraine and condemns the shelling of a passenger bus leaving 11 civilians killed.

Ban also called for the investigation of the attack and urged to bring those responsible to justice.

The incident occurred Tuesday at a checkpoint fortified by Ukrainian forces near Volnovakha town, said a spokesperson for the Donetsk regional administration. Local media quoted some insurgent commanders as saying that they were not involved.

Ban asked all sides to respect the cease-fire and return to the implementation of the Minsk agreement signed in Sept. 2014, describing the agreement as "a solid base for resolving the conflict."

He also encouraged all concerned to continue to seek means of restoring peace and ensuring the stability, territorial integrity and unity of Ukraine.

On Sept. 5, 2014, a ceasefire protocol was signed in the Belarussian capital of Minsk between representatives from Kiev and the rebel leadership in an attempt to end the bloody conflict in East Ukraine, but the agreement has never been fully implemented.

According to UN figures, the violence in East Ukraine has already claimed more than 4,800 lives and displaced over one million people. Endite