Assad Regime, Russia & Iran Responsible for the Suspension of UN Aid to Syria

Press Statement

Syrian Coalition

Media Office

August 18, 2016

In response to the announcement by the UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura that the UN is suspending humanitarian aid to Syria, an official at the Syrian Coalition said:

“The announcement by the UN Syria envoy came a month after the Assad regime has blocked the entry of even limited humanitarian aid to the majority of the besieged areas in Rural Damascus, Homs and Dara’a. The Assad regime, Russian forces, the militias of Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps continue to prevent the delivery of food and medical aid to besieged areas.

“The Syrian National Coalition holds the Assad regime and its allies fully responsible for the continued sieges and the blocking of aid in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, including UNSCR 2254 which called for the immediate lifting of blockades and stopping the bombardment of civilian areas.

“The Assad regime’s hindering of the delivery of humanitarian aid and its continued refusal to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions as well as the UN Secretary General’s warning of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster in Aleppo make it imperative that the United Nations seriously discuss the issue at the UN Security Council and name the side responsible for the worsening humanitarian situation in Syria. The UN needs to take urgent, necessary measures under international humanitarian law and international human rights law towards continued violations in Syria.

“Moreover, the UN must stop the terrorizing of civilians and the exploitation of their suffering to achieve political gains, a policy best exemplified in Iran and Russia’s use of the Assad regime and the foreign militias to commit the crimes of besiegement, starvation and murder against the Syrian people.”