LOC09:42
06:42 GMT
NEW YORK, May 28 (KUNA) -- The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator expressed concern over the upsurge in violence across various parts of Syria and its impact on civilians.
Stephen O'Brien, who is also the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council via video teleconference from Geneva, that indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure - including schools and hospitals, mosques and public markets - continue with impunity and total disregard for international humanitarian law.
O'Brien emphasized that the current reality in Syria is unacceptable, and that here should never be impunity for behaviour, which shows complete disregard for international humanitarian law, flouts the resolutions of the UNSC, and causes such immense human suffering.
"One day all those responsible must and will be held to account," he added.
He focused in his briefing on the deliberate interference and restrictions by the parties, most notably the Syrian Government, in preventing effective aid delivery.
The UN official told the 15-member body that the removal of life-saving medicines and medical supplies such as surgical kits, midwifery kits, and emergency kits has continued unabated, with supplies for an estimated 150,000 treatments removed from convoys since the beginning of the year.
Since the adoption of resolution 2139, O'Brien confirmed that medical supplies for over 650,000 treatments have been removed from aid convoys.
These restrictions are not only violations of earlier guarantees and approvals obtained from the Syrian Government and other parties, they are actions "deliberately and cynically designed to inflict more unnecessary suffering on civilians living in besieged and hard-to-reach locations," he said.
He called for an immediate need of sieges to be lifted once and for all. (end)
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