- Title: U.N. runs out of food aid for eastern Aleppo
- Date: 28th November 2016
- Summary: REYHANLI, TURKEY (NOVEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY (UNHCR) TRUCK ENTERING TRANSPORT HUB VARIOUS OF U.N. AID WORKERS TALKING VARIOUS OF U.N. AID WORKERS CARRYING FOOD SACKS SECURITY OFFICIAL SCANNING SACKS TRUCKS PARKED AT TRANSPORT HUB BANNER ON TRUCK READING (English): "BIG HEART HUMANITARIAN RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT" U.N. AID WORKERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS DEPUTY REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR SYRIA CRISIS, RAMESH RAJASINGHAM, SAYING: "In east Aleppo, we have distributed the last World Food Programme food. So there is no more from WFP food in east Aleppo. It's all been distributed. There is no more humanitarian food left in east Aleppo. So, that's why it is very important that we try and get assistance in there as soon as possible. Whether it is from the cross-border operation or if it's from our colleagues from Damascus who send it from west Aleppo." UNHCR TRUCK LEAVING TRANSPORT HUB (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS DEPUTY REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR SYRIA CRISIS, RAMESH RAJASINGHAM, SAYING: "What we have heard in the last 24 hours are reports, media reports coming in. We have yet to confirm what the numbers of people moving out of east Aleppo are. But we do have a plan. I mean we have a plan of assistance either from our colleagues in the Damascus side. We do have a U.N. operation in western Aleppo. So we do have a plan to assist people who come out but we don't know what the numbers are yet." UNHCR TRUCK DRIVING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS DEPUTY REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR SYRIA CRISIS, RAMESH RAJASINGHAM, SAYING: "We have received a written approval from the armed groups. They will guarantee our security to get in, to get up to the front line. We have also had a verbal approval, a verbal support from the Russian side, in principle that is. Once we get that formal approval than we are ready to move very rapidly to provide assistance to eastern Aleppo." U.N. JEEP DRIVING PAST VARIOUS OF U.N. TRUCKS AND VEHICLES LINED UP AT CILVEGOZU BORDER GATE ACROSS SYRIA'S BAB AL-HAWA CROSSING VARIOUS OF U.N. TRUCKS AND VEHICLES DRIVING INTO TURKISH CUSTOMS AREA
- Embargoed: 13th December 2016 13:55
- Keywords: Syria Aleppo aid United Nations Turkey Reyhanli Ramesh Rajasingham
- Location: REYHANLI, TURKEY
- City: REYHANLI, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0015AD00NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The United Nations World Food Programme has distributed all of its food supplies in eastern Aleppo, the U.N.'s Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for Syrian Crisis, Ramesh Rajasingham, said on Monday (November 28).
With freezing winter conditions setting in, about 275,000 people are trapped in east Aleppo, where the last U.N. food rations were distributed on November 13.
Speaking to reporters during a media tour of a U.N. transportation hub in the border town of Reyhanli, Rahasingham said more humanitarian aid must be delivered to east Aleppo as soon as possible.
Several thousand residents of rebel-held eastern Aleppo have fled shifting frontlines, residents and a monitor said on Sunday (November 27), after a rapid advance by the Syrian army and allied forces that rebels fear could split their most important urban stronghold in two.
The army had blamed rebels for holding back civilians from leaving east Aleppo, saying they were using them as human shields.
Hundreds were also crossing into an Aleppo district held by the Kurdish YPG militia, which has largely avoided fighting the Syrian government and has been spared air attacks. Rebels said the militia had also been exploiting the army advance to grab more territory. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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