UN focuses on humanitarian needs in Aleppo region

NEW YORK, February 10: The United Nations Security Council is holding a private briefing Wednesday on the humanitarian situation in Syria, where government forces backed by Russian airstrikes are waging an offensive against rebels in Aleppo.
The operation has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing the northern city toward the Turkish border and raised alarms with the United Nations and aid groups who fear a humanitarian disaster in the region.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday at least 500 people have been killed since the offensive began, including about 100 civilians.
On Tuesday, U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien said he is gravely concerned about what is happening in Aleppo and how the fighting is affecting aid access to the city.
“It is absolutely clear that we need to continue to stress that the highest need and the best humanitarian response is for the bombing to stop, and secondly to ensure that the border is open for people to be able to cross and for supplies to get in,” he said.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the situation in northern Syria is getting worse and reiterated criticism of Russia’s air campaign.
“It would be a lot less worse if the Russians weren’t continuing to bomb opposition groups and civilians and civilian infrastructure,” Kirby said. “That would be a big help to try — to alleviating this problem along the border. That’s a real, immediate thing that could happen. A cease-fire would do wonders to help alleviate that concern.”
Russia has repeatedly rejected criticism of its military operations in Syria, which began in late September backing President Bashar al-Assad’s troops. Rebel groups have said they want the bombing to stop before they will consider returning to U.N.-sponsored peace talks.-Agencies