The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office accused the Assad regime of directly violating UN Security Council Resolution 2268 by seizing medical aid bound to civilians trapped in the besieged areas and preventing the evacuation of those in urgent need for treatment.
In comments posted on Twitter on Tuesday, the FCO said that the Assad regime has confiscated more than 80,000 medical items, including 19,000 packs of medicine, from aid convoys bound to the besieged areas since the beginning of 2016.
The FCO added that the World Health Organization submitted 18 requests to the Assad regime to allow the delivery of medical supplies to those in need. The Assad regime approved only 4 requests, while 14 requests are still pending approval. The FCO pointed out that the Assad regime continues to impede the delivery of aid supplies to the besieged areas.
On May 13, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that a joint aid convoy of the ICRC, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the United Nations in Syria was refused entry to Daraya at the last regime checkpoint, despite having obtained clearance by all parties that it could proceed.
Vice-president of the Syrian Coalition Muwaffaq Nyrabiya said that the blocking of aid convoys by regime forces from entering Daraya and the targeting afterwards of civilians in the area is a deliberate “war crime.” He added that regime actions in Daraya provide yet further proof it will not negotiate in good faith.
Nyrabiya called upon the UN Security Council to find alternative solutions to protect the Syrian people and to put an end to the Assad regime’s blatant disregard for the political process.
“The UN Security Council has to take concrete action to force the Assad regime to implement its obligations regarding lifting the blockades on besieged areas and stopping the killing and bombing of civilians,” Nyrabiya said. “International will is urgently needed to curb Assad’s criminality and protect Syrian civilians from the ongoing violations and atrocities.”
UN Security Council Resolution 2268 (2016) called upon all relevant parties to allow humanitarian agencies rapid, safe and unhindered access throughout Syria in order to reach all people in need. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
