Syria: UN agency ready to expand aid work in Yarmouk, if reported truce holds
New York, June 24 (IBNS): Following a reported ceasefire in the besieged Yarmouk camp in Syria, the United Nations agency that administers aid to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East said it is ready to resume and expand its humanitarian activities as soon as it has access to the site.
Removal of Syria's chemical weapons material complete: OPCW-UN mission
New York, June 24 (IBNS): The Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) announced Monday that the removal of Syria’s chemical weapons material is now complete.
Syria: UN focuses on removal of remaining chemicals
New York, Jun 5 (IBNS): Given that the Jun 30, 2014 deadline for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme will not be met, the focus now is on the immediate removal of the remaining materials, the head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) said on Wednesday.
Syria blighted by joblessness, desperation: UN
New York, May 29 (IBNS): Even as the death toll from Syria's three-year civil war continues to rise, the country's human development has also suffered immense collateral damage - the economy has been gutted, the healthcare system is in ruins, and education facilities are "teetering" - according to a new joint United Nations report out on Wednesday.
Syria: UN to create safeguard observatory of cultural heritage
New York, May 29 (IBNS): In hopes of ebbing the 'cultural haemorrhage' in Syria, the United Nations cultural agency on Wednesday announced that it will establish an observatory to monitor and access the state of Syria's cultural heritage which is 'reaching the point of no return.'
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.
Syria: UN denounces hardship wrought on Aleppo's residents
New York, May 22 (IBNS): The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday condemned the "flagrant disregard" for international human rights and humanitarian law - both by the Syrian Government and by some armed groups - that has led to tremendous suffering for civilians in Aleppo.
Syria: Palestinian students allowed to leave Yarmouk camp
New York, May 20 (IBNS): Amid a "dire" situation in the Yarmouk refugee camp where thousands of civilians have been and hiding from snipers and often eating weeds to survive, the United Nations agency that administers aid to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East has confirmed that 120 students were allowed to do what anywhere else would generate few headlines - take school exams.
Syria: UN seeks expanded aid access to Palestinian refugees
New York, May 16 (IBNS): A senior United Nations official has highlighted the extreme hardship faced by Palestinian refugees in Syria as a result of the ongoing armed conflict, and stressed the need to improve conditions to enable the delivery of critically-needed humanitarian assistance.
Syria: UN-Arab League envoy Brahimi quits
New York, May 14 (IBNS): Amidst an international community "hopelessly divided" over how to end more than three years of bloodshed in Syria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday announced that he has regretfully accepted the resignation of Lakhdar Brahimi, the Joint United Nations-League of Arab States Special Representative on the crisis.
Syria: UN urges complete removal of chemical weapons
New York, May 9 (IBNS): The head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations (OPCW-UN) on Thursday called for safe and unfettered access to the remaining eight per cent of Syria's chemical weapons material that needs to be removed and destroyed.
Syria: Gunfire forces UN to suspend food delivery
New York, May 6 (IBNS): Gunfire stopped distribution of food on Monday in a besieged Palestinian refugee camp, a United Nations spokesperson confirmed on Monday, reiterating demands that the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees be allowed to safely and without interruption distribute substantial quantities of food and other humanitarian assistance inside Yarmouk.
Syria: Ban deplores targeting of civilians for tactical purposes
New York, May 1 (IBNS): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned 'in the strongest terms' the latest attacks in Syria - which left dozens of civilians dead or wounded from mortar fire and shelling in neighborhoods in Homs and Damascus - and called on the Government and opposition groups to resist provocations that could undermine peace efforts.
UN urges Syria to complete chemical weapons removal
New York, Apr 28 (IBNS): Nearly eight percent of Syria's declared chemical weapons material remains on its territory and should be removed in the shortest possible timeframe, despite the difficult security situation, the head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations on Sunday urged.
Syria: UN confirms progress in removing chemical weapons
New York, Apr 25 (IBNS): More than 90 per cent of Syria's chemical weapons material has been removed and destroyed in country, the head of the Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations on Thursday confirmed.