U.N. announces 6-month extension of aid delivery to Syria

UN aid heading from the government-held areas to those held by the opposition in northwest Syria – North Press / Archive
UN aid heading from the government-held areas to those held by the opposition in northwest Syria – North Press / Archive

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Office of the United Nations Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Thursday the extension of aid delivery through Bab al-Hawa border crossing between Syria and Turkey for another six months.

The OCHA announced the extension of humanitarian assistance delivery from Turkey to Syria through Bab al-Hawa border crossing for an additional six months, from July 13, 2024 to Jan. 13, 2025.

This extension is crucial for maintaining the U.N.’s cross-border operations, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, describing the crossing as a vital link for people in northwest Syria.

Despite a significant decrease in aid delivery due to increasing funding shortages compared to previous years, Dujarric highlighted that the U.N. and its partners typically reach more than a million people monthly with essential aid and protection services.

Since July 2020, Bab al-Hawa has been the only crossing kept open to U.N. aid based on Res. 2533 (2020), while the use of the others including Bab al-Salama, al-Ramtha with Jordan, and al-Ya’rubiyah/Tel Kocher with Iraq were curtailed based on U.N. resolutions 2504 and 2165.

By Jwan Shekaki