Nearly 17 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance: UN

‘Limited access to electricity, water, and cooking fuel has worsened food poverty and malnutrition.’ Martin Griffiths says:

The UN relief director underlined Tuesday that almost 17 million Syrians require humanitarian help.

“A staggering 16.7 million people now require humanitarian assistance – nearly three-quarters of the population and the highest number of people in need since the start of the crisis,” Martin Griffiths said at a UN Security Council discussion on the Middle East.

Griffiths described the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, as “the most severe in a century,” and stated that in Syria, “where the conflict is about to hit the 13-year mark, it is clear that much more is still needed to address the long-term humanitarian impact of the earthquakes.”.

He called for the complete restoration of basic services, as well as the “provision of adequate and appropriate shelters, particularly for displaced pregnant women and girls.”

Noting that the decline in essential facilities increased Syrian people’s reliance on humanitarian aid, the UN official stressed that the “reduction in access to electricity, water, and cooking fuel has exacerbated food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable members of society such as children, and pregnant and lactating women.”

He reaffirmed his appeal “to all parties involved to respect international humanitarian law and take constant care to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Syria has been embroiled in a brutal civil conflict since 2011, when the Assad administration suppressed pro-democracy protesters.

According to UN estimates, hundreds of thousands of people have been dead, with more than 10 million displaced.