Wednesday, February 20, 2013

More Warnings From The U.N. On The Growing Humanitarian Disaster In Syria



UN Warns Of 'Humanitarian Tragedy' In Syria -- Al Jazeera

Humanitarian chief says rebel-held north largely out of reach for aid operations while WHO reports typhoid outbreak.

UN agencies have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in Syria, as an estimated four million people there are in need of assistance.

UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said the rebel-held north of Syria remains largely out of reach to aid operations, even though they have been stepped up elsewhere in the country torn by civil war.

"We are watching a humanitarian tragedy unfold before our eyes," Amos told a news briefing on Tuesday. "We must do all we can to reassure the people that we care and that we will not let them down."

The Syrian government still refuses UN convoys entry from Turkey into northern Syria, as most border crossings are controlled by the rebel Free Syrian Army, she said.

Four million Syrians were deemed in need of aid late last year, but the situation has deteriorated since due to shelling, inflation, and shortages of food and medicine, Amos said.

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My Comment:
What is making a horrible situation even worse are reports that diseases like Typhoid are now being confirmed in rebel held areas in Syria. As for government controlled areas, Jonathan Steele from the Guardian has a must read report on what life is now becoming for the civilians in Damascus and the outlying regions.

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