A medical charity expressed strong dissatisfaction on Tuesday August 8, with the United Nations’ inability to extend a cross-border arrangement that facilitated the delivery of international assistance to the region of northwestern Syria held by rebels from Turkey. The charity called for an immediate resolution to this pressing issue.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Tuesday deplored the UN’s failure to renew a cross-border mechanism that allowed international aid to reach rebel-held northwestern Syria from Turkey and demanded an urgent solution.
More than four million people live in rebel-held areas of northern and northwestern Syria, many of them in overcrowded camps, where they are in desperate need of aid.
Through an arrangement that began in 2014, the UN delivered relief to the areas directly through the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey.
But last month, the UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on extending the key aid route.
Russia vetoed a nine-month extension then failed to muster enough votes to adopt a six-month extension.
The Syrian government has said it will allow humanitarian aid to pass through the crossing for another six months but set conditions the UN called “unacceptable”.
Following a February 6 earthquake that struck both Turkey and Syria, Damascus agreed to temporarily open two other crossings on the border until August 13.
But several international organizations have expressed concern that allowing Damascus control over the flow of aid to rebel-held areas could limit access to those most in need.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
