Off the wire
• Syria rebels not to attend peace talks unless UN resolutions implemented  • Suspect detained on suspicion of arson in reception center in southern Finland  • Danish MPs debate on controversial plan to seize refugee valuables  • Ukraine, Russia reach consensus on partial debt restructuring  • Mafia-linked online gaming ring busted in Italy  • 2 seniors die in house fire in southern Finland  • Conflict parties in Ukraine decide to make new ceasefire attempt  • 4 more suspects detained over Istanbul bombing attack: Turkish PM  • Kiev reports 399 attacks targeting civilians since start of E. Ukraine conflict  • Kenya's Kiplagat eyes another record run at Barcelona half marathon  
You are here: 　 Home

ICRC calls for urgent lifting of all sieges in Syria to save lives

Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

After critical humanitarian relief was provided to three Syrian towns earlier this week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) highlighted on Wednesday the need for all sieges in Syria to be lifted amid a worsening situation in the war-torn country.

As many as 60,000 people living in the besieged towns of Madaya, Foah and Kefraya were provided with vital aid including food, health supplies and winterization and shelter material on Monday.

The first such aid to be delivered since October last year, many civilians were found to be living in appalling and miserable conditions while cases of malnourishment were prevalent.

"The scenes we witnessed in Madaya were truly heart-breaking. People are desperate. Food is in extremely short supply. It is the elderly, women and children who are suffering the most, especially from severe malnourishment," ICRC top official in Syria Marianne Gasser said in a statement.

"The conditions are some of the worst that I have witnessed in my five years in the country. This cannot go on," she added.

Around 400,000 people are estimated to be living in besieged areas across the country which has been at war since 2011. A further 4.1 million Syrians live in hard-to-reach areas.

"The sieges of all towns and villages across Syria need to be lifted, immediately and simultaneously. Whilst we wait for the sieges to be lifted, there needs to be unconditional, rapid and regular access given for humanitarian convoys to all these areas so that lives can be saved," ICRC Regional Director for the Near and Middle East Robert Mardini iterated. Endit