Politics and the Humanitarian Aid challenge in Syria

A deal brokered by the U.S. and Russia was to last for seven days and allow humanitarian aid to reach besieged neighborhoods of Aleppo held by the rebels. But even before the agreement officially expired at midnight local time Sunday, both sides appeared to have breached this shaky moratorium, each accusing the other of being at fault.

The Russian side says the lack of consensus and stability in the American political elite is the key obstacle to implement the Moscow-Washington ceasefire agreement on Syria.

Moscow said that the United States is not implementing its obligations from the agreement, especially on separating so-called moderate rebels from terrorists on the ground. Moreover, on Saturday, warplanes of a US-led coalition attacked positions of the Syrian Army near Deir ez-Zor, killing 62 personnel.

A United Nations convoy — laden with an enough supplies to feed 185,000 people for a month — is packed up and ready to go. The 20-truck fleet is still sitting on the other side of the Turkish border, unable to move into Syria.

Humanitarian aid has begun to flow to other areas in Syria, according to Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking on Monday morning.

Stephen O’Brien, the U.N.’s undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, said Monday he was “pained and disappointed” at the impasse.

[From various media outlets]

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation by Grant Montgomery.