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Roundup: UN agency highlishts safe access to eastern parts of war-torn Aleppo

Xinhua, October 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

While acknowledging a ceasefire set to take place in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) urged on Tuesday that all parties to the conflict guarantee safe access to eastern parts of the war-torn city.

"We take note of the announcement by the Russian Federation that they and the Syrian government will carry out a pause in support of urgent medical evacuations of the sick and wounded from eastern Aleppo, as well as civilians and fighters," OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke told press here.

"The UN reiterates that assurances must be provided by all parties to allow safe, unimpeded, humanitarian access so that critical humanitarian assistance can be provided to the area and that the sick and the wounded can be evacuated," he added.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced Monday a pause of strikes against the Syrian city of Aleppo for eight hours on Thursday.

The humanitarian pause will be introduced from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. local time on Oct. 20, during which Russian Aerospace Forces and Syrian government troops will cease strikes.

According to Russian authorities, Moscow is ready to cease fire and provide medical personnel with unhindered access to Aleppo at the request of humanitarian groups at any time, and to guarantee the rescue of the injured and sick.

While the UN stands ready to proceed with evacuations and provide critical supplies, UN agencies on the ground will not carry out operations if safety assurances are not issued by all warring factions.

"We are pleased if there is a reduction in fighting," Laerke continued, warning however that "we need all weapons to fall silent, not just a unilateral announcement."

"We have not yet reached a situation where we have security assurances from all the fighting parties on the ground that will allow us to enter eastern Aleppo with aid," he added.

The statement comes a month after 18 out of 31 trucks carrying life-saving humanitarian supplies were destroyed by warplanes in Urum al-Kubra, northwest of Aleppo.

The attack resulted in one senior humanitarian official working for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent being killed as well as civilian casualties and severe damage to key infrastructure including a hospital. Enditem