RIYADH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2020) Saudi Arabia is ready to dispatch humanitarian assistance to Syria's Idlib when the security situation allows but would prefer doing it via a neutral partner like the United Nations, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Supervisor General Abdullah Alrabeeah told Sputnik.
"Our connections now are with the UN because we want to be doing it with a neutral partner. So if we are assured that the UN can have safe access, we will certainly discuss with them how we reach safely," Alrabeeah said. "As you know, Turkey is part of the conflict."
Fighting in Idlib escalated last week when jihadists carried out an operation against Syrian government troops, prompting retaliatory attacks after which the Turkish military said that more than 30 service members had been killed by the Syrian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Turkish military members who were for an unknown reason among the terrorists had become caught up in the attack.
"We wish to see the conflict in Idlib will ease off and the people will we be able to live peacefully," Alrabeeah said. "We wish that the security issues will allow access to Idlib. Saudi Arabia has always supported as you know Syria inside, outside."
He added that Syria comes second only to neighboring Yemen in terms of Saudi Arabia's relief support with numerous food security, health, education and other projects carried out both inside the war-torn country and aimed at Syrian refugees.
