Civilian death toll continues to mount in Syria, UN relief chief tells Security Council

Lowcock detailed several other areas of ongoing concern regarding the protection of civilians, and updated the Council on the various forms of humanitarian aid being delivered. Insecurity continues, he said, and incidents affecting civilians are reported every day. One example he gave was a mortar struck in late November which hit a primary school in Jarjnaz town just as students were leaving, killing four boys and two girls and injuring 10 other children.

Humanitarian organizations estimate that up to 6,000 civilians are trapped in pockets that are still under the control of Da’esh or ISIL militants east of the Euphrates in the Deir-ez-Zor governerate, where they continue to suffer as a result of ground fighting and airstrikes, one of which reportedly hit a field hospital in the area, killing and injuring scores of civilians, including women, children and medical staff. No aid has reached displaced people in the area since October: a recent humanitarian mission, said Mr. Lowcock, was forced to turn back when its vehicles came under attack and an aid worker was shot.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator expressed concern about the situation in the Rukban refugee camp on the border with Jordan, where over 40,000 people are sheltering: the UN update report on Syria delivered to Security Council members earlier this week, reported that refugees have limited and irregular access to basic services, deteriorating health conditions, and are living in a state of fear caused by criminality and the risk of violence.

A statement from Geert Cappelaere – the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa – also released on Thursday, gave further information on Rukban: freezing temperatures and a lack of basic commodities is leaving thousands of people at risk of disease and death. This week alone, two sick babies have died in the camp.

Lowcock announced that an aid convoy will be sent to Rukban later this month “to provide food, water, hygiene and sanitation support and, medical and nutrition items as well as blankets, mattresses and other essential non-food items to help protect people during winter,” and carry out vaccinations. He urged all parties in Syria to provide all necessary security guarantees to allow the convoy to proceed “without delay or impediment.”

Some areas of Syria, however, are still not accessible to humanitarian organizations, and sustained access to many areas remains limited, explained Mr. Lowcock. Around 1.6 million people are living in areas that have seen control shift between warring parties. Up to one third of these people are living in areas classified as “hard-to-reach,” and aid has not reached 60 per cent of these locations.

The UN humanitarian effort is making progress, he added: in the last three months, over 550 missions have assessed, delivered or monitored the delivery of assistance, and the UN’s field presence beyond Damascus has expanded, enhancing the Organization’s ability to engage with communities, assess needs, deliver assistance and monitor impact.