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Wednesday 23 Dec 2015 - 12:06 Makkah mean time-12-3-1437
(Image from Reuters)
Geneva, (IINA) - The UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday demanding that all combatants in Syria and especially the Syrian government allow the urgent delivery of desperately needed food and medicine to more than 13.5 million people, CBS News reported.
The Council expressed "outrage" at the escalating violence in Syria, grave distress at "the devastating humanitarian situation" and growing concern at the increasing impediments to the delivery of aid, especially across front lines in the conflict.
The resolution extends the authorization for cross-border aid deliveries until January 10, 2017. It previously authorized deliveries through four crossings, two in Turkey, one in Iraq, and one in Jordan.
Of the more than 13.5 million people in need of food and medical assistance inside the country, the council said that 6.5 million have fled their homes, 4.5 million including Palestinian refugees are living in hard-to-reach areas, and 393,700 are trapped in besieged areas.
The Council expressed grave alarm especially for those in besieged areas where the UN was only able to reach 3.5 percent with health assistance and just 0.7 percent of food monthly in 2015.
The Security Council also accused ISIS group, which now controls about a third of Syria, the Al-Nusra Front and other Al-Qaida associates of hindering aid deliveries including to nearly half the people in hard-to-reach areas and over half the people in besieged areas "through deliberate interference and obstruction".
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said after Tuesday's vote that the resolution "underscores the urgent need for assistance across conflict lines". She accused the Syrian government of delaying approval for deliveries across conflict lines, where more than half the requests made in 2015 are still pending. "Acute malnourishment and disease is prevalent, and yet nothing seems to create a sense of urgency in dealing with these requests by the UN on the part of the Syrian government", Power said.
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Kyung-Wha Kang told the council on Monday that "no words can do justice to the despair and devastation that millions of Syrians experience every day".
One graphic example of their plight is that approximately 1.8 million Syrians have fled the country since the Security Council adopted its first resolution on the humanitarian crisis on February 22, 2014, according to the resolution.
Kang said that under extremely challenging circumstances, millions of Syrians continue to be reached every month with life-saving assistance. Cross-border operations have also brought food aid for over 2.4 million people and medical supplies to treat 4.1 million as of November 30, she said, "but much more is needed".
The UN is appealing for nearly $3.2 billion to assist the 13.5 million needy Syrians inside the country in 2016 and Kang called on donors to contribute generously.
AG/IINA
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