UN warns of worsening humanitarian situation in Syrian city of Aleppo
Xinhua, August 6, 2016 Adjust font size:
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is concerned about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation across Syria's Aleppo city, a UN spokesman told reporters here Friday.
The UN relief agency is particularly concerned over the humanitarian situation of the estimated 250,000 to 275,000 people trapped in eastern Aleppo, Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here.
The UN and its partners had been providing assistance including regular food supplies from across the border in Turkey to some 144,000 people, as well as assistance to thousands of others, up until July 7, when the last available route into eastern Aleppo, the Castello Road, was cut by fighting, he said.
"While the UN had pre-positioned basic assistance inside the city, reports are that with the lack of access and the ongoing fighting, the situation is deteriorating," Haq said
Aleppo has seen intensified battles and violence recently with the Syrian government troops tightening the noose on the rebel-held areas in the eastern part, while the rebels unleashed several offensives to break government siege on rebel-held areas.
"Our humanitarian colleagues consider any initiative that can provide relief to people in need as a positive step, including the recently announced proposal to establish corridors, provided that humanitarian and protection guarantees are met by all parties," Haq said. "It is critical that the security of such corridors is guaranteed by all relevant parties."
"Movement through the corridors must be two-way, meaning allowing humanitarian access in and civilian movement out and in," Haq said. "Any movement of civilians must be fully informed, voluntary, to a location of their own choosing, and temporary."
"For any humanitarian operation to be successful, including the proposed corridors, the UN proposal for having, at a minimum, weekly 48-hour humanitarian pauses or a full-fledged ceasefire to reach those trapped in eastern Aleppo is essential," he added. Endit