Syria is heading for a catastrophic partition and could see the return of Islamic State if there is no inclusive peace settlement, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said on Monday.
"The truth is that a soft, long-term partition of Syria, which (is) the one that we are witnessing at the moment, in different areas of control, will be a catastrophe, not only for Syria but for the whole region," he told an audience at Geneva's Graduate Institute.
"Without an inclusive political process, including those who are excluded, particularly the majority, the Sunnis, Daesh will come back," he said, referring to Islamic State by its pejorative Arabic name.