UN aid reaches besieged area in Syria for first time since November

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- A UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy entered the besieged Eastern Ghouta near Syrian capital Damascus to deliver food, health and nutrition items for 7,200 people, the first delivery to a besieged area since last November, a UN spokesman said Wednesday.

This delivery to Nashabieh in the rebel-held enclave is also the first inter-agency convoy to cross conflict lines in 2018, said spokesman Farhan Haq.

The United Nations estimates that there are 11,765 people in the Nashabieh area and some 393,000 people living throughout besieged Eastern Ghouta.

The United Nations reminds all parties to the conflict in Syria of their responsibility to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to facilitate safe, unimpeded and sustainable access to all in need, particularly those in besieged and hard-to-reach areas, said the spokesman. Enditem