Türkiye and UN urge renewal of cross-border aid operations into Syria

Türkiye, the West and the UN encouraged the extension of a resolution that allows the use of the Bab al Hawa border crossing between Türkiye and Syria to deliver humanitarian aid into northwestern Syria, the only remaining available route into the besieged region.

The long-running aid operation has been in place since 2014, and the most recent six-month authorisation expires on January 10. 

Turkish Ambassador to the UN Feridun Sinirlioglu spoke at a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday and said the continued provision of life-saving humanitarian aid is critical as ever as the humanitarian crisis has become protracted over the years with ever-increasing needs.

''The cross-border operation has proven itself as a reliable lifeline of humanitarian assistance for millions of people living in northwest Syria,'' he said. ''This assistance goes beyond physical aid and also includes critical support in education, protection and health services.''

Sinirlioglu said the scale, scope and efficiency of the cross-border operation have no match or substitute and added that ''there is no hidden agenda at issue here. The aim is nothing but to save lives who depend on this assistance.''

Around 15.3 million people will require humanitarian protection and assistance in 2023, the highest since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, according to the UN.

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Irish Ambassador Fergal Mythen urged all channels of access to be consistently available as he spoke on behalf of Norway and Ireland as co-pen holders on the Syrian humanitarian file.

Mythen said although crossline convoys of aid into northwest Syria continue to increase in frequency and size, they are unable to substitute the scope or sight of the massive cross-border operations.

''The highly monitored cross border mechanism continues to be an indispensable lifeline providing food, shelter, wash, protection, vaccines and critical medical services to millions of Syrians in need,'' he said.

US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said the cross-border operation is among the most secure and transparent anywhere in the world.

''There is simply no substitute for cross-border assistance,'' he added.

Cholera cases

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said the socioeconomic degradation is the worst it has been since the beginning of the crisis and stressed the importance of maintaining the lifeline for millions in the northwest amid a cholera outbreak and in the middle of winter.

The UN reported 62,000 suspected cholera cases, including 100 deaths from the disease as of December 18.

Nearly 600 trucks delivered food and other essential aid across the border to northwest Syria every month in 2022, according to the UN.

Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the West of politicising humanitarian aid operations in Syria.

''The picture of surrounding cross border mechanism has not become transparent,'' he said.

He also said that ''absolutely unacceptable illegal and unilateral'' Western sanctions were affecting the lives of ordinary Syrians.

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