Off the wire
• New Albanian hydro-power plants producing electricity  • Macedonia's SDSM leader gives president 67 MP signatures in bid to get gov't formation mandate  • Controversial anti-smog campaign sparks debate in Poland  • Parliament open sessions calling for peace in Mozambique  • U.S. oil price climbs on market sentiment  • Estonian business sector sees drop in profits in 2016  • Portuguese fisherman finds unexploded WWII bomb  • Latvian central bank proposes cutting personal income tax as part of reforms  • Peace is fundamental premise, foundation for human rights protection: Chinese diplomat  • Portuguese consumer confidence reaches record high  
You are here: 　 Home

UN reiterates concern for safety of 400,000 people besieged in eastern Ghoutah, Syria

Xinhua, February 28, 2017 Adjust font size:

The United Nations on Monday expressed its concern over the safety of large number of people besieged in eastern Ghoutah of Syria.

"We remain extremely concerned for the safety and protection of more than 400,000 people who remain besieged in eastern Ghoutah in Syria," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the daily news briefing.

Intense fighting in and around eastern Ghoutah had been reported over the past week, resulting in death and injury to civilians, and affecting civilian infrastructure, including damage to medical facilities, and schools closures in several districts, said Dujarric.

The last UN inter-agency mission to the area was in late October 2016 and civilians currently had limited access to critical food, health and nutrition assistance, he added.

The United Nations called on all parties to the conflict to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure and to ensure unimpeded, sustained and unconditional access to all people in need across Syria, said the spokesman. Enditem