UN says 16.7m Syrians need humanitarian aid

A Syrian child, who has to struggle with hard life conditions and cold winter as a refugee in Bettin Camp, is seen by the clothes hung in Idlib, Syria on January 20, 2024 [İzettin Kasım – Anadolu Agency]

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, said on Tuesday that around 16.7 million people in Syria need humanitarian aid. Griffiths made his comment in a special meeting about Syria at the UN Security Council.

He pointed out that the earthquake in Turkiye was one of the most severe earthquakes the world has seen in a century, noting that the disaster claimed the lives of thousands of people in both Turkiye and Syria. However, he pointed out that the impact of the earthquake was much greater in Syria due to the ongoing civil war, emphasising the need to rebuild basic services and shelters.

The UN official stressed that the situation in Syria has worsened over the past year. The number of people requiring humanitarian aid is equivalent to three-quarters of the population.

He added that the ongoing fighting in Syria has led to a decline in basic services and water supplies, as well as a serious decline in the economy. In conclusion, he called on all parties to the conflict in Syria to respect international humanitarian law.

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