Off the wire
• UN Middle East envoy encourages Israeli legislators to reconsider controversial bill on settlements  • Rallies on anniversary of student killing by police fire end in clashes  • Iran rejects Saudi Arabia's espionage charges as "baseless": spokesman  • Oil prices drop amid output cut skepticism  • Scientists build galago-inspired robot with highest jumping agility  • New mobile app assists doctors in evaluating lung cancer risks  • 8 arrested in Belgium in anti-terrorist searches  • Roundup: Austrian president-elect calls for unity, extends lead after final vote count  • Chicago champ rules out competing at world cross country in Kampala  • Facilitator to visit Burundi to settle country's 2015 crisis  
You are here: 　 Home

UN voices concern over situation in Syria's Al-Wa'er neighborhood

Xinhua, December 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations is extremely concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged neighbourhood of Al-Wa'er in the Syrian city of Homs as a result of sporadic fighting since mid-November, a UN spokesman told reporters here Tuesday.

"Dozens of people have reportedly been killed and a health center was damaged," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here, adding that some 50,000 people remain besieged in Al-Wa'er.

"Recently, administrative and security procedures on the delivery of aid have also increased, leading to a reported deterioration of conditions on the ground," Dujarric said. "Al-Wa'er was last reached with humanitarian assistance through inter-agency convoys on 26 October."

"The UN stands ready to provide immediate assistance through inter-agency convoys to people in need, in line with the December plan," he said.

The United Nations is also very concerned about the safety and security of civilians in the four besieged towns of Madaya and Zabadani in rural Damascus and Foah and Kafraya in Idleb, he said.

"Credible reports indicated the death of four people and injury of twenty in Madaya following attacks on the town," he said. "There have also been reports of people killed and injured in Foah and Kafraya, as well reports that the only hospital in Foah became inoperable as a result of hundreds of rockets shelled at both locations."

"Our latest figures are that an estimated 31,500 people from east Aleppo remain displaced within the entire city of Aleppo over the past six days," the spokesman said. "The UN and partners continue to respond to the needs of the newly displaced in all areas they can access and are increasing protection services in the shelter facilities currently being used."

"We are also increasing emergency preparedness in the event of further displacement, with food and current supplies available in west Aleppo, with more supplies that could be brought in quickly from Damascus, Homs, and Tartous," he added. Enditem