August 09, 2026 09:56 pm (IST)
Follow us:
Syria: UN condemns attack during aid distribution
New York, May 26 (IBNS): The United Nations humanitarian chief on Sunday expressed outrage at a deliberate attack on a humanitarian warehouse in the Damascus province of Syria, which occurred as aid workers were preparing to distribute urgently needed supplies to hundreds of families in the besieged city.
“The targeting of the warehouse, which reportedly killed several people and wounded one Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer, is evidence of the blatant disregard for International Humanitarian Law which is a disturbing feature of the conflict in Syria,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said in a statement from her office (OCHA).
She added that the attack violated assurances from those involved in the conflict that they would refrain from hostilities while the joint UN/SARC convoy was on the ground.
The city of Douma, in the Eastern Ghouta area of Damascus province, has been under siege by Government forces for over 18 months. It has been nearly two months since aid workers were last able to bring supplies into the city.
“People are in desperate need of food, water, sanitation, health services and medicines,” Amos said.
The joint convoy carried food and non-food items, and medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases for up to 24,000 people. As a result of the attack distribution on site was forced to be canceled and the supplies delivered to Syrian Arab Red Crescent partners in Douma.
“Aid workers are frequently targeted or subjected to harassment in Syria,” the UN senior official said. Among recent incidents, aid workers on 8 February came under direct attack during the aid delivery and evacuation of people from the old city of Homs.
Such attacks are “utterly unacceptable and have a devastating ripple effect as they hinder the provision of aid to those in desperate need”, said Amos.
She vowed that UN agencies and our humanitarian partners will continue to look at how best they can continue to deliver life-saving aid, but they must have “sustained, predictable and safe access” throughout Syria.
Last month, Amos, joined by Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); Antonio Guterres at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR); Margaret Chan of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and Ertharin Cousin of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), issued an impassioned plea to Syrian authorities and the opposition to allow aid access, end siege warfare and halt the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Syria.
More than 9.3 million people are affected by the crisis, now in its fourth year, with more than 2.4 million Syrian refugees registered in the region, according to recent UN figures.
(Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos talks to refugee children living in a school in Damascus during a visit to Syria in August 2012. Photo: OCHA/Ben Parker)
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Iran releases new video of Mojtaba Khamenei amid health speculation
Sun, Aug 09 2026
Kyiv hit again: Child among three killed in Russian drone strikes, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says
Sat, Aug 08 2026
Thailand school bloodbath: Suspect killed grandparents before attack that left six dead
Fri, Aug 07 2026
Horror in Thailand: Teacher among 2 killed in deadly school shooting
Fri, Aug 07 2026
Iran's President meets Mojtaba Khamenei in 'darkened' car, later asks: 'Was it really him?'
Thu, Aug 06 2026
Princess Isabella makes history as first Danish royal woman to begin full military service
Wed, Aug 05 2026
Zelenskyy shares chilling video of Russian drone 'hunting' civilian in human safari attack
Wed, Aug 05 2026
Why is Nauru now called Naoero? All you need to know
Tue, Aug 04 2026