UN in talks with Syrian authorities to deliver aid to besieged Kobani
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said on Friday that the United Nations is in contact with the Syrian authorities to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the city of Kobani, northern Syria, which has been under siege for more than a week.
Speaking at a press conference in response to a question from Rudaw Media Network’s correspondent in New York, Haq said that “All roads connecting to Kobani are currently closed,” noting that ongoing power, water, and internet outages have prevented residents from accessing basic services.
He said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had informed the organization that its partners on the ground are increasingly concerned about the risk of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the area.
Haq revealed that the UN has received reports of shortages in food and essential supplies, adding that while health centers remain operational, there is a lack of medicines.
“We are engaging with the authorities. We want to carry out more assessments and we want to make sure that access to Kobani is facilitated, so we’re going to continue with that work,” Haq said, stressing the need for full authorization to allow UN teams to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation.