On Assad Militia’s Seizure of UN Aid Convoys Heading to Alwaer District in Homs

Press Statement

Media Department

Syrian Coalition

February 21, 2017

A UN aid convoy that was heading to the neighborhood of Alwaer on Monday, February 20 was attacked by regime forces who seized the aid load and kidnapped drivers of the aid trucks. The convoy was not able to enter Alwaer because of the shelling by regime forces on the besieged neighborhood. While returning, the convoy was stopped by militants of the Rida Brigade, an Iranian-backed sectarian militia. Trucks were seized and their aid loads were looted.

The United Nations continues to fail to enforce its resolutions calling for the introduction of aid to the besieged areas and to protect the aid convoys heading to the besieged areas. It is imperative; therefore, that concrete action is taken to ensure humanitarian aid to civilians trapped in the besieged areas is delivered and the regime’s blocking of aid convoys comes to an end.

The Syrian Coalition calls on the United Nations to immediately launch airdrops of humanitarian aid to all besieged areas across Syria without the consent of the Assad regime. This option must be seriously considered in light of the regime’s blocking of aid convoys and its continued violation of the ceasefire agreement and local truces.