The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is ready to observe the process of evacuation of civilians from the Rukban refugee camp in Syria and provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons, OCHA Public Information Officer in Damascus Hedinn Halldorsson told Sputnik on Wednesday
GENOA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2019) The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is ready to observe the process of evacuation of civilians from the Rukban refugee camp in Syria and provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons, OCHA Public Information Officer in Damascus Hedinn Halldorsson told Sputnik on Wednesday.Syria will start forming convoys in cooperation with Russia to bring Rukban refugees to the places of their permanent residence on March 1, a joint statement of the Russian and Syrian general staffs said earlier on Wednesday. The camp is located within the US-controlled zone surrounding its military base in Syria's At-Tanf.
"The United Nations is available to carry out adequate, neutral monitoring and direct observation of the evacuation of civilians and subsequently report on the findings," Halldorsson said.
He added that the OCHA sought access to places of origin or relocation of refugees in order to assess humanitarian conditions there.
"The United Nations is also ready to provide humanitarian assistance to the population, including life-saving assistance and protection services at evacuation corridors ... and at areas of origin or relocation. It is essential that UN humanitarian staff be granted access to the population, wherever they are located, to assess needs, deliver assistance and follow-up," he continued.
Halldorsson also commented on the plans of Moscow and Damascus to carry out the entry of the convoys into the zone around At Tanf in coordination with the United Nations, saying that the organization was ready to work with all parties concerned to improve humanitarian situation in the Arab republic.
"The United Nations is ready to work with all relevant parties to advice on how to achieve the above considerations and ensure adequate consultations are taking place with the affected population, with regards to possible solutions to their current situation," Halldorsson said.
Earlier in the month, Damascus with the help of Moscow already opened two humanitarian corridors for internally displaced persons to leave the Rukban refugee camp for their permanent places of residence through the checkpoints in the settlements of Jleb and Jabal al-Ghurab.
