ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Some 2 million Syrians, less than 20 percent of the country's most "desperate" civilians, have received assistance so far in 2018 the top humanitarian chief in Syria told the UN Security Council, asking for more aid in hard to-reach areas. "Those two million people, in places like northern rural Homs, Douma and southern Damascus, are some of the most desperate in the country," UN Emergency Relief Coordinator for Syria, Mark Lowcock, said in his briefing to the UN Security Council on Tuesday. He added that only six inter-agency convoys have been able to reach these areas, providing emergency relief to 169,000 people so far this year. "That is less than 20 per cent of the people we would like to be reaching," Lowcock added. He requested additional support from the Council members "to ensure safe, unimpeded and sustained access" to help people who have the greatest need. Lowcock also updated Council members on the situation in Eastern Ghouta, a formerly rebel-controlled area that was retaken by the Syrian government in April after years of siege. Upon recapturing Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian government requested emergency assistance from the UN for the nearly 200,000 civilians who reportedly remained in the Damascus suburb throughout fighting between the regime and rebels. An additional 10,000 people have returned to Eastern Ghouta over the past two weeks, making access even more critical. Lowcock, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that he released $16 million from the Syrian Humanitarian Fund. "We are providing food, water, shelter, medical services and protection," he explained, adding that the UN is providing assistance through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Granted access to Kafr Batna and Saqba in Eastern Ghouta on May 14, he said that the UN observed the resumption of some services such as electricity, education and healthcare centers starting back up in addition to a small number of markets and businesses reopening. "But it was clear that there are huge unmet needs, and extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure," he added. Lowcock also expressed concern about the province of Idlib, the last remaining area in Syria not under government control. "The situation in Idlib is alarming, with airstrikes, clashes between armed groups, overcrowding and severely stretched basic services deepening the suffering of both displaced people who have fled to Idlib and host communities," he said. Attacks on healthcare facilities and professionals have complicated the situation. "Violence against health care and health personnel remains a grim hallmark of the conflict in Syria," Lowcock said, adding that 92 attacks on medical facilities have been documented in the first four months of this year which lead to the deaths of 89 medical personnel and 135 injuries. Despite obstacles faced, Lowcock stated that the humanitarian response has been successful in several areas of the war-torn country, including food assistance to more than 2 million people last month in addition to measles and polio vaccinations to children which took place the last week of April. "In Syria we are running one of the world's largest humanitarian operations, and it continues to save lives every day," he added. The UN estimates more than 350,000 Syrians have been killed in the conflict that began in 2011. At least half of all Syrians at one time or another have been displaced from their homes.
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