The UN expresses concerns over 2 million Syrians likely to flee to Turkey
North-Press Agency
The United Nations has expressed concerns over the deteriorating situation of the de-escalation zones in Syria and the flow of Syrian refugees to the northern border with Turkey.
The United Nations Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syrian crisis, Panos Moumtzis said, “Our fear is if this continues, and if the numbers continue soaring, and if the conflict intensifies, that we could see really hundreds of thousands, a million or two, heading towards the northern Syrian borders with Turkey.”
Moumtzis told Reuters in Geneva that the situation was deteriorating and a deal between Russia and Turkey to deescalate the fighting there, was effectively no longer in practice.
”We see an offensive that is really targeting -or with an impact on hospitals and schools in civilian areas, in territories where there is the population and urban areas – which really should not be happening according to the international humanitarian law,” Moumtzis stated.
While, relief organizations have been encouraged to keep the warring sides informed of their locations to avoid injuries, but aid workers were suspicious of such requests after successive air strikes on hospitals, he said.
In terms of aid, the UN appealed for $3.3 billion to cover the humanitarian works within Syria this year, and despite the generous pledges, it has so far received only $500 million, which undermining relief efforts.