Number of Syrians in need of urgent humanitarian aid exceeds 12 million — UN

The number of Syrians who need urgent humanitarian aid has reached 12.2 million people, which is more than half of the country’s population at the moment of the beginning of the conflict between the government and opposition, the UN humanitarian chief said on Tuesday, according to TASS.

Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said some 12.2 million people — more than 5 million of them children — are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance throughout the country. Ms. Amos said that continuing violence has forced nearly half of Syrians from their homes, many of them multiple times.

Consequently, there are now some 7.6 million people displaced inside Syria. In addition, more than 3.2 million people have fled the country, with countries in the region and communities hosting refugees bearing an “enormous burden,” Ms. Amos said.

Moreover, Ms. Amos said that despite repeated calls from the Council for the fighting to stop and “hard-hitting” reports from the Independent Commission of Inquiry of ongoing abuses of human rights, civilians continue to be killed and injured every day in Syria.

“As the situation on the ground becomes more dangerous and difficult it is even more important that humanitarian actors are able to use all tools at their disposal to reach people in need, from within the country and across borders,” Ms. Amos said. “Every day that passes more Syrian children, women and men die,” Ms. Amos said. “More look to the international community for help and support. We on the humanitarian side will continue to do all we can,” she added.