Thursday, 21 April 2016

Syria Conflict: Aleppo Clash Displaces 40,000 People

Damascus: The United Nations (UN) has said that the 40,000 Syrians have fled fighting near the northern city of Aleppo in recent days as government forces continue an offensive against opposition fighters despite a truce.
On Wednesday, the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the escalating violence has pushed people eastwards towards the strategically vital border town of Azaz, as well as the Bab al-Salam and Sijjou refugee camps. In a statement OCHA said: “Taking into account the previous influx of over 75,000 internally displaced people into the Azaz sub-district in January and February, humanitarian needs are expected to rise exponentially.”
Ariane Rummery of the UN refugee agency said: “We are extremely concerned at the intensification of fighting in northern Syria and its impact on civilians, as well as humanitarian delivery to the area, and continue to monitor the situation closely.” The UN expressed deep worry on Wednesday over the fate of the thousands displaced by the fresh fighting. Aid agencies have distributed food baskets and blankets, jerry cans, mattresses and plastic sheeting for thousands of newly displaced people and are preparing to scale up the response, she said.
The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said that there are now more than 100,000 people trapped on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, with 35,000 having fled in the past week from camps that had been taken over by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters or had become too close to the frontline.
Turkey has closed the frontier to all but the most seriously ill or wounded people.
Fighting around Aleppo has become the biggest threat to the fragile cessation of hostilities that came into force on February 27.It has also has contributed to the decision by the main opposition delegation to suspend its formal participation in peace talks.




No comments:

Post a Comment