German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to reinforce efforts to stop suffering of children in Syria's Idlib amid the ongoing fighting
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2020) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to reinforce efforts to stop suffering of children in Syria's Idlib amid the ongoing fighting.
Maas said that more than 500,000 children in Idlib are displaced, with many of them for the second or third time.
"There is more that this Council can and must do to stop the suffering. First and foremost, we must ensure full humanitarian access. The Secretary General's report on alternative access routes leaves no doubt that cross-border aid remains of vital importance. This Council needs to look at every possibility to meet all humanitarian needs in accordance with humanitarian principles," Maas said.
The German foreign minister stressed that although Germany and Brussels had recently allocated financial assistance to provide civilians with shelters, that was not enough to resolve the issue.
"The cold is a threat to thousands of people. Germany has stepped up its assistance by 25 million Euros [$27.4 million] to provide shelter for those in need. And last week, the European Union also decided to increase its humanitarian support. But we need to do more � all of us," Maas said, adding that a humanitarian ceasefire in Idlib "is essential."
In December, Syrian government forces launched an offensive to recapture areas of Idlib province, the last remaining rebel stronghold in the country. Pockets of the region are under control of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organization (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, banned in Russia).
Tensions have further escalated in the region after Syrian government forces shelled a Turkish observation point on February 3, killing seven military personnel and one civilian contractor, while Turkey conducted a number of retaliatory strikes.
According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, between February 1 and 25, at least 134 civilians, including 44 children, were killed. Moreover, 11 medical facilities and 15 educational facilities were either hit or affected by nearby strikes in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo.
