Save the Children speaks out following the announced withdrawal of United States troops from Syria

In a remarkable announcement late Sunday night, the White House said that United States forces in northern Syria would move aside in advance of a planned Turkish military offensive.

The move marks a major shift in US foreign policy and effectively gives Turkey the green light to attack US-backed Kurdish forces. The group, long considered as among Washington’s most reliable partners in Syria, has played a key strategic role in the campaign against ISIS in the region.

Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children Canada said: ‘We are deeply concerned for hundreds of thousands of people present in North East Syria.

“Currently, there are 1.65 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in northeast Syria, including more than 650,000 displaced by war. All essential services including food, water, shelter, health, education, and protection need to be consistently provided, or we could see another humanitarian disaster unfold before our eyes.”

“This number includes more than 9,000 children from more than 40 different nationalities including Canadian children, in three camps who rely completely and exclusively on humanitarian aid. Any interruption to camp services which are already overstretched would put their lives at risk.”

[CNN/Save the Children]

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