25 April 2014
Ban Ki-moon accuses Syrian government and opposition forces of blocking humanitarian aid
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accuses all parties in Syria’s civil war of obstructing the delivery of aid to civilians and urges the Security Council to take action to implement Resolution S/RES/2139 concerning Syria.
The UN Security Council resolution, that was unanimously approved in February, states that both Syrian government and opposition forces must allow aid convoys to reach civilians across the country.
In his second report to the Council concerning the resolution, the Secretary General stated that almost 3.5 million civilians have been deprived of vital aid, including medicine and medical care, labeling these transgressions as ‘flagrant violations of the basic principles of international law’.
Ban Ki-moon is not alone in signaling this issue. Earlier this week, in an interview with Reuters, Valerie Amos, UN humanitarian chief, emphasised that it is getting harder every day to send aid to trapped and displaced civilians.
According to the BBC, though America, Great Britain and France are mindful of a further resolution that would enable punitive measures against the government of President Bashar al-Aassad, such an attempt would almost certainly be blocked by Russia.
Source: BBC | All parties in Syria blocking aid, say Ban Ki-moon
Source: BBC | Syria crisis: UN Security Council agrees aid resolution