“If the border between Syria and Iraq closes for humanitarian aid, the millions of already vulnerable people will no longer have access to critical medical care [in northeast Syria],” read a statement from MSF.
MSF warns that the Semalka crossing near Fishkhabur is “the only option” for humanitarian agencies to bring supplies.
MSF called on all parties to “ensure continued access, without let or hindrance, for the delivery of humanitarian aid across borders.”
Delivering humanitarian supplies from Damascus can be difficult, if not impossible at times as the Syrian government routinely blocks aid deliveries to areas opposed to its rule.
Iraqi federal forces and Iranian-backed paramilitaries launched an attack on Kurdish forces near Fishkhabur on Thursday morning. The Peshmerga reported that they repelled the attack. Fishkhabur is located within the borders of the Kurdistan Region and is not in disputed territory.
The US-led international coalition to defeat ISIS also complained of the clashes in Iraq hindering the delivery of supplies to northern Syria. The coalition has delivered military equipment to their Syrian allies via convoy overland from the Kurdistan Region.
The coalition has backed Kurdish security forces in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Iraqi army, against ISIS. The coalition was not allowed to provide training or air cover for certain elements of Iraqi security forces including the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi.
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