UN concerned over safety of more than 4 mln civilians in NW Syria

By:Xinhua
update:August 05,2020

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 5,2020 -- The United Nations expressed concern on Tuesday for the safety and protection of more than 4 million civilians in northwestern Syria, which has been hit with aerial bombardments over the past few days.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told journalists that in the wake of reports of air attacks and shelling over the past few days, 2.7 million people have been internally displaced.

"Yesterday," he said, "local sources reported airstrikes impacting three communities in Idlib governorate as well as one community in northern Latakia Governorate."

As a result of the air raids, three people were reportedly killed and seven injured in Bennsh, in Idlib Governorate.

"The UN calls on all parties to heed the calls by the secretary-general for a full ceasefire as an essential measure to enable communities to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic," Haq stressed.

Since March 2011, the country has been in the throes of a conflict that has forced more than half of all Syrians to leave their homes.

With 5.6 million Syrian refugees, 6.6 million internally displaced and more than 12 million people in need of assistance, the crisis has caused untold suffering for Syrian women, children and men.

The UN spokesperson reminded all parties, and those with influence over them, of their obligation to "protect civilians and civilian infrastructure as required by International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law."