UN chief urges new transit point for aid to Syria

CAIRO – 23 February 2020: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the Security Council to authorize a new passage point to allow humanitarian aid to reach the embattled population of northeast Syria.

Western members of the Security Council had asked Guterres in early January to provide new options after the Council, under pressure from Russia, drastically reduced the number of border crossings authorized for delivering humanitarian aid to the hard-pressed population of northeast Syria, according to AFP.

"Several options can be made available," Guterres said in his report, "but from a security and logistical perspective, in the current context, the Tal Abiyad border crossing would constitute the most feasible alternative to the Al Yarubiyah border crossing."

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted on Friday that Ankara supports Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and sent dozens of military training personnel after the two countries signed a series of deals last year.

The Turkish state has been causing chaos, destruction and instability across the region while completely disregarding all international laws and norms; as whether in Syria or Libya, the Turkish president supported and financed bloody operations and battles against the national armies of both countries, not to mention sending thousands of terrorist troops, rebels and arms.

The secretary-general said two other passage points on the Iraqi border -- Al Walid and Fishkabur, both under Kurdish control -- were studied but found to lack logistical capacity.

The Syrian government had suggested another Iraqi border passage, at Abu Kamal, but it was found to have logistical and security problems.

"An estimated 1.9 million people are assessed to be in need of humanitarian assistance in northeast Syria, the vast majority of whom -- 1.34 million people -- are in areas not under government control," Guterres said.

"Medical stocks are expected to run out in the coming months."