Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether following the fall of Aleppo, Mosul and Raqqa they intend to call for negotiations for the surrender of Deir ez Zor in order to prevent civilian casualties and the destruction of the city; and whether they have given similar consideration to the provinces of Idlib and Afrin.

Daesh captured the majority of Deir Ez Zor in 2014 and has remained in control since. Earlier this month, pro-regime forces broke the Daesh siege of regime-held parts of Deir Ez-Zor. It is for Daesh to avoid any further civilian bloodshed in Deir Ez-Zor or elsewhere by surrendering themselves and their weapons. The UK and the Coalition take all possible precautions to avoid civilian casualties when conducting any form of military operation. All missions are meticulously planned and every care is taken to ensure we minimise civilian casualties. Regarding Afrin, Idlib and all other areas of Syria, the Government will continue to support efforts to bring about a sustained reduction in violence across Syria.