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UNHCR chief: "We appeal for urgent action to allow vulnerable people to move to places of safety in Idlib"

21 February 2020 10:52 (UTC +04:00)

UN Refugee Agency says that the situation in Syria’s Idlib province is disastrous and getting worse, APA reports.

Close to one million people are in grave danger. Trapped civilians must be allowed to move to places of safety. “We need an end to the fighting, and access to safety to preserve lives”, said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. We are calling for a cessation of hostilities in Syria’s Idlib province, where more than 900,000 people are estimated to have fled their homes in recent months, it was said.

“Thousands cannot pay the price of a divided international community, whose inability to find a solution to this crisis is going to be a grave stain on our collective international conscience.”, says UNHCR which also urged neighbouring countries like Turkey to broaden admissions so that those in danger can reach safety. “For these countries, already hosting 5.6 million refugees, of whom 3.6 million are in Turkey, international support must be sustained and stepped up.

There are over 4 million civilians in north-west Syria. More than 50% are internally displaced. Too many have been forced to flee several times over 9 years of conflict. The fighting must stop. Close to a million people are trapped in grave danger in Syria’s Idlib province. The conditions are dramatically worsening. We appeal for an end to hostilities and for urgent action to allow vulnerable people to move to places of safety. As humanitarian agencies we strive to save lives, but the space for us to help is shrinking. In the face of such suffering, humanitarian aid alone is not the answer. Peace is needed.

Given the intensity and scale of displacement, and the bitter winter weather, the needs of civilians trapped in Idlib are critical. We are seeking to help 275,000 people with essential aid items, and assist 84,000 more with shelter.