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UN official: 12 million Syrians depend on humanitarian assistance

NEW YORK, April 24 (KUNA) -- More than eight in 10 people in Syria live below the poverty line and nearly 12 million depend on humanitarian assistance, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller said Wednesday.
Among those suffering most from "a litany of horrors" in Syria are persons with disabilities, who are often excluded and face specific protection and psychosocial challenges, Mueller said in a briefing to the UN Security Council.
"We must do our utmost to support and protect persons with disabilities, and to ensure that their specific and diverse needs are addressed," she said.
An estimated 1.5 million people suffered a disability as a result of the war, said Mueller, who is also the United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, noting that in Idlib alone, 175,000 people with disabilities are among civilians who fear an escalation of military action and have nowhere left to flee.
All humanitarian programmes should include specific plans to help people with disabilities gain access to health services, assistive devices and psychosocial support, she said, urging the Council to make the slogan "no one left behind" more than mere words.
"This is our right." She pointed out that 200 civilians in Idlib Governorate have reportedly been killed by military clashes since February.
She called upon Turkey and the Russian Federation, in particular, as guarantors of the de-escalation agreement, to lower tensions and press all parties to implement the 17 September memorandum of understanding.
The UN official said assistance transported through cross-border operations out of Turkey reaches 1.7 million Syrians each month.
"Ensuring this sustained humanitarian access is critical," she emphasized. (end) asf.ibi