Millions of Civilians Face Humanitarian Catastrophe in Idlib, Syria
Nearly one third of three million civilians trapped in Idlib have been forced to flee their homes, leading to unprecedented level of displacement
Humanitarian relief operations are overwhelmed for the nearly one million people who have recently fled from violence in northwestern Syria, the United Nations’ aid chief said on Tuesday.
U.N. Undersecretary-General Mark Lowcock made the assessment after he and other U.N. and U.S. officials visited Turkey’s Hatay border province to inspect relief efforts.“
...There needs to be everything,” Lowcock said at a shipment location for U.N. supplies in Turkey’s Rehyahli district.
The U.S. and Britain announced additional aid to help address one of the largest humanitarian crises of Syria’s nine-year civil war.
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Kelly Craft, also reviewed relief efforts and announced an additional $108 million dollars for food, shelter, medical care and other goods and services.“
Humanitarian aid is the only response but the solution is an immediate cease-fire,” Craft told reporters. “We are asking for other countries to step up and contribute.”
Britain said it was contributing an additional $114 million in aid to Syria, some of which will be for Idlib, where fighting has intensified in recent days.
About 980,000 people, more than half of them children, have fled the recent violence in Idlib, the last rebel-held enclave in Syria.
Turkey has committed thousands of troops and military hardware to Idlib to confront Syrian government forces as it accommodates 3.6 million Syrians and after closing its borders to other migrants.