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Syria conflict: Humanitarian air drops 'not imminent' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Air drops of vital aid to besieged areas of Syria are "not imminent", a senior UN official has warned. | |
But Ramzi Essedine Ramzi, UN deputy special envoy for Syria, said the "process that will lead to air drops has already started". | |
He was speaking after the US, UK and France urged the UN to deliver by air. | |
They say the Syrian government has failed to respect a 1 June deadline for widespread aid distribution agreed by world and regional powers. | |
A convoy of aid reached besieged Darayya suburb of the capital Damascus on Wednesday, but it carried only a small amount of medicines and other non-food items. Darayya has been without food aid since 2012. | |
UN humanitarian coordinator Jan Egeland said a convoy of food for Darayya, planned for Friday, may be delayed but added there are "clear indications" it will go ahead within days. | |
The UN Security Council is expected to meet on Friday to discuss the question of air drops. | |
Syrian town in 'extremely dire' state | Syrian town in 'extremely dire' state |
What's left of Syria? | What's left of Syria? |
US state department spokesman John Kirby earlier said hundreds of thousands of Syrians needed "sustained and regular" access to aid. | |
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond described the limited access for aid allowed on the day of the deadline agreed by the International Syria Support group (ISSG) as "cynical". | |
He said air drops "are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas". | |
The US and UK called on Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government, to use their influence to ensure the air drops could proceed safely. | The US and UK called on Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government, to use their influence to ensure the air drops could proceed safely. |
But Mr Ramzi, speaking after a meeting of the UN's humanitarian task force for Syria, said: "Air drops... remain an option if land deliveries do not go through." | |
"I don't think it's imminent but I think the process that will lead to air drops has already started," he went on. | |
"It is not just the Russians who are concerned about security, it is an issue that has to be resolved in a way that allows this to go ahead." | |
The challenges of dropping aid by air | The challenges of dropping aid by air |
In February, the WFP carried out a 21-pallet air drop of aid to a government-held area of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria, which ended in failure. Of the 21 pallets, 10 were unaccounted for, seven landed in no-man's land and four were damaged. | |
But it has since carried out 44 air drops over the city, delivering mainly rice, chickpeas and beans to meet the immediate needs of around 100,000 residents. | But it has since carried out 44 air drops over the city, delivering mainly rice, chickpeas and beans to meet the immediate needs of around 100,000 residents. |
The WFP has identified some 592,700 people in 19 besieged areas of Syria that may need to receive aid by air. | The WFP has identified some 592,700 people in 19 besieged areas of Syria that may need to receive aid by air. |
But the operating conditions are challenging, the WFP says. Many besieged locations are in built-up, urban areas with no suitable space for a drop zone. High-altitude drops are not possible in those areas because of the risk of harming people on the ground. | But the operating conditions are challenging, the WFP says. Many besieged locations are in built-up, urban areas with no suitable space for a drop zone. High-altitude drops are not possible in those areas because of the risk of harming people on the ground. |
The UN food agency says airdrops are always a last resort as access by land is more efficient. | The UN food agency says airdrops are always a last resort as access by land is more efficient. |
Meanwhile, in the north of Syria, US warplanes have been trying to destroy a key access route to Turkey for militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS). | |
Overnight air strikes destroyed all the bridges linking the IS-controlled towns of Manbij to Jarablus, on the Turkish border, an IS-affiliated news agency confirmed. | |
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is leading the ground operation to recapture Manbij, says it is within 10km (six miles) of the town. | |