DAMASCUS, Nov 4: The United Nations aid convoy of 78 trucks carrying life-saving assistance has reached about 50,000 civilians stranded on the Syria-Jordan border. “Seventy-eight trucks are delivering 10,475 food parcels and flour bags, clothes for 18,000 children, 10,075 hygiene kits and plastic sheets, and newborn baby kits for 1,200 children,” the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said in a statement on Saturday, BBC reported.
The convoy was supposed to arrive at Rukban camp on 27 October, but was delayed due to logistics and security concerns.
“We are delivering food, sanitation and hygiene supplies, nutrition and health assistance in addition to other core relief items in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, said Ali Al-Za’tari, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Syria.
He said an emergency vaccination campaign to protect some 10,000 children against measles, polio and other deadly diseases would also be conducted. The last UN delivery of assistance to Rukban Camp was in January 2018, delivered through Jordan.
The UN urged all parties to allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all in need in line with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.
“While this much-needed delivery is an important achievement, a longer-term solution must be found for the many civilians living in Rukban. We must do everything we can to continue helping civilians living in the harshest conditions in there,” Za’tari said. At least four people have died in the past month due to malnutrition and lack of medical care, while regional powers trade blame over who is responsible. The United Nations described conditions there as “concerning” and said thousands of lives were at risk. (UNI)
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