Still trapped, under bombs and unaided in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. This is still the situation of hundreds of Syrian and Iraqi children today
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousMore trapped, under the bombs and without help in besieged and hard-to-reach areas. This is still the situation today hundreds of Syrian and Iraqi children.
Syrian children under siege
Although a partial ceasefire is apparently underway, in fact, civilians continue to be under constant fire from planes, snipers and bombings.
“While the powerful are arguing in Astana, the children are huddled by the constant bombing and go to bed hungry. These talks risk moving forward in a parallel universe ”.
This is the complaint of Sonia Khush, Director of Save the Children in Syria, while i peace negotiations between the parties involved in the Syrian conflict.
According to Save the Children, more than two weeks after the start of a partial truce, there is an yesappalling lack of progress in providing aid and there is a risk that peace talks will focus on military and political gains, at the expense of the most vulnerable.
Photo: UNICEF/Khuder Al-Issa
Photo: UNICEF/Al-Issa
Meanwhile, the United Nations last week declared that January was one of the worst months for obstacles to the delivery of aid and humanitarian convoys reached only one of the fifteen besieged areas. Although apparently a partial ceasefire, in fact, civilians continue to be under constant fire from planes, snipers and bombings.
“My neighbor's house was hit by bombing A mother had to give birth to her child just as an attack was in progress, but the baby died. We asked for help, but it was two months ago and we still haven't received anything ", says Rula *, a teacher of Madaya.
The city, within which it is estimated there are 20.000 children under siege and unaided, was the subject of one of the largest and most intense bombings. In the first two weeks of the year, 750.000 armed attacks took place in the northern governorate of Idlib alone, where more than 72 displaced people are currently sheltering, including 46 aerial bombardments.
It is no better in Deir ez-Zor. According to UNICEF, the children here too have come under intense attack since last week, with indiscriminate bombings that have killed dozens of civilians, forcing all to remain in their homes. The escalation of violence threatens the lives of 93.000 civilians, including over 40.000 children who have been cut off from humanitarian aid for over two years.
Furthermore, food prices have skyrocketed at levels five to ten times higher than in the capital Damascus. Chronic water shortages are forcing families to take untreated water from the Euphrates River, exposing the little ones to many diseases.
“Nothing justifies the siege and the unspeakable suffering unleashed against children. Syria's children have already paid the highest price for a war they have no blame for, ”said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director.
Children under siege in Iraq
Photo: UNICEF / UN044148 / Khuzaie
Photo: UNHCR / Ivor Prickett Concern from the UN also over the situation of the approx 750.000 civilians from Mosul, in Iraq, who took refuge in the western part of the city, fleeing East Mosul, which was the main battlefield.
The situation is distressing. Water and electricity are intermittent, many families with no income eat only once a day. Others are forced to burn furniture to stay warm. Humanitarian aid fails to reach everyone. The fate of these people today is to become potential victims of the crossfire or to be used human shields.
We recall that the east bank of the Tigris River is now completely controlled by Iraqi forces, which have wrested it from the control of the Islamic State (IS) after three months of intense fighting.
"We hope that everything will be done to protect the hundreds of thousands of people who live on the other side of the river", wrote Lisa Grande, UN humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, in the statement signed by about twenty international and local humanitarian organizations. .
This is why we join the appeals of those calling for a global and lasting ceasefire, with an end to the use of deadly explosive weapons in populated areas and immediate access for aid to besieged and hard-to-reach areas.
Roberta Ragni
Photo Credit Save The Children
