U.N. Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura attends a news conference in Damascus, Syria November 20, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday that media reports about the resignation of the U.N. Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, were incorrect.

“Media reports that Special Envoy de Mistura is resigning his post are not accurate. The Special Envoy remains fully engaged on his mission,” the short U.N. statement said.

London-based pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat reported on Thursday, citing anonymous U.N. diplomatic sources, that de Mistura had informed U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that he wanted to step down for personal reasons before his contract, which can be renewed, ends in March 2017.