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| West urges Syria to allow aid drops to besieged towns | West urges Syria to allow aid drops to besieged towns |
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| The US, Britain and France have attempted to put pressure on the Syrian government by demanding that it allow airdrops of aid into besieged towns. | The US, Britain and France have attempted to put pressure on the Syrian government by demanding that it allow airdrops of aid into besieged towns. |
| The international community had set a deadline of 1 June to turn to air drops if the government failed to adhere to an agreement to allow large-scale aid to reach the towns. | The international community had set a deadline of 1 June to turn to air drops if the government failed to adhere to an agreement to allow large-scale aid to reach the towns. |
| The United Nations security council is due to discuss the issue on Friday, following a request from the UK, but there is every sign that Russia will reject the call. | The United Nations security council is due to discuss the issue on Friday, following a request from the UK, but there is every sign that Russia will reject the call. |
| According to the UN, a total of 592,000 people live under siege in Syria, the majority because of regime forces, and another 4 million live in hard-to-reach areas. | According to the UN, a total of 592,000 people live under siege in Syria, the majority because of regime forces, and another 4 million live in hard-to-reach areas. |
| The Red Cross reported that aid entered the Damascus suburbs of Darayya and Moadamiyeh on Wednesday after the government agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire. | The Red Cross reported that aid entered the Damascus suburbs of Darayya and Moadamiyeh on Wednesday after the government agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire. |
| Related: ‘It's like trying to hit a football field from the top of Everest' – why aid airdrops just don’t work | |
| It was the first time since 2012 that aid had reached Darayya, which has been subject to a crippling government blockade since residents expelled security forces in the early stages of the 2011 uprising against Bashar al-Assad. | It was the first time since 2012 that aid had reached Darayya, which has been subject to a crippling government blockade since residents expelled security forces in the early stages of the 2011 uprising against Bashar al-Assad. |
| The aid did not contain food and instead was largely made up of items such as mosquito nets and shampoo. | The aid did not contain food and instead was largely made up of items such as mosquito nets and shampoo. |
| On Thursday Britain’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, acknowledged that airdrops were costly and fraught with difficulties, but said the International Syria Support Group co-chaired by Russia had pledged to try aid drops by the 1 June deadline at a meeting in April and now needed to act to retain its credibility. He said the easing of blocks on convoys by the Syrian government on Wednesday was too little too late. | On Thursday Britain’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, acknowledged that airdrops were costly and fraught with difficulties, but said the International Syria Support Group co-chaired by Russia had pledged to try aid drops by the 1 June deadline at a meeting in April and now needed to act to retain its credibility. He said the easing of blocks on convoys by the Syrian government on Wednesday was too little too late. |
| France, the current chair of the UN security council, will table the issue for discussion on Friday but the Russians claimed aid was starting to get through and more time should be given for the Syrian government to allow land convoys into the towns. | France, the current chair of the UN security council, will table the issue for discussion on Friday but the Russians claimed aid was starting to get through and more time should be given for the Syrian government to allow land convoys into the towns. |
| The dilemma for the west is that if the Syrian government refuses to allow airdrops, attacks on UN-backed aid planes become a possibility. Any such threat would probably lead the UN to abandon the plan. | The dilemma for the west is that if the Syrian government refuses to allow airdrops, attacks on UN-backed aid planes become a possibility. Any such threat would probably lead the UN to abandon the plan. |
| Hammond said: “While airdrops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas. Countries with influence over the Assad regime such as Russia and Iran must now ensure that these air operations can proceed in a safe and secure manner. | Hammond said: “While airdrops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas. Countries with influence over the Assad regime such as Russia and Iran must now ensure that these air operations can proceed in a safe and secure manner. |
| “The Assad regime has cynically allowed limited amounts of aid into Darayya and Moadamiyeh but it has failed to deliver the widespread humanitarian access called for by the international community.” | “The Assad regime has cynically allowed limited amounts of aid into Darayya and Moadamiyeh but it has failed to deliver the widespread humanitarian access called for by the international community.” |
| The British diplomatic side acknowledge that any widespread use of airdrops would require an international discussion about assurances that the Assad regime would not attack any UN planes carrying aid. | |
| A US State Department spokesman, John Kirkby, was unclear about the conditions under which the US would back aid drops. He said: “What we have said all along is we want them [the Syrian regime] to support sustained, complete, comprehensive, unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance.” | A US State Department spokesman, John Kirkby, was unclear about the conditions under which the US would back aid drops. He said: “What we have said all along is we want them [the Syrian regime] to support sustained, complete, comprehensive, unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance.” |
| France’s ambassador to the UN, François Delattre, who holds the security council presidency this month, said access to the towns and villages under siege remained blocked, and he blamed the Syrian regime. | France’s ambassador to the UN, François Delattre, who holds the security council presidency this month, said access to the towns and villages under siege remained blocked, and he blamed the Syrian regime. |
| “France is asking the United Nations and in particular the WFP to begin humanitarian airdrops for all the areas in need, beginning with Darayya, Moadamiyeh and Madaya, where the civilian population including children risks dying of hunger,” Delattre told a press conference. | “France is asking the United Nations and in particular the WFP to begin humanitarian airdrops for all the areas in need, beginning with Darayya, Moadamiyeh and Madaya, where the civilian population including children risks dying of hunger,” Delattre told a press conference. |
| The UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and Stephen O’Brien, the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, will brief council members on Friday. De Mistura has sounded sceptical about the practicality of airdrops. | The UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and Stephen O’Brien, the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, will brief council members on Friday. De Mistura has sounded sceptical about the practicality of airdrops. |
| Last month the International Syria Support Group called on the UN to “immediately carry out a programme for air bridges and airdrops for all areas in need” starting on 1 June if it was denied access to designated areas. | Last month the International Syria Support Group called on the UN to “immediately carry out a programme for air bridges and airdrops for all areas in need” starting on 1 June if it was denied access to designated areas. |
| Privately, British sources acknowledge that airdrops are only the “least worst option”, and experience with previous drops into Syria showed food failed to meet targets or was picked up by Syrian forces. Dropping food by parachute from height under cloud and into a wind requires huge skill and luck. There is also a danger that the food packages are destroyed on impact with earth. | Privately, British sources acknowledge that airdrops are only the “least worst option”, and experience with previous drops into Syria showed food failed to meet targets or was picked up by Syrian forces. Dropping food by parachute from height under cloud and into a wind requires huge skill and luck. There is also a danger that the food packages are destroyed on impact with earth. |
| In February the World Food Programme carried out a 21-pallet airdrop of aid to a government-held area of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria. As many as 10 pallets were unaccounted for, seven landed in no-man’s land and four were damaged. | In February the World Food Programme carried out a 21-pallet airdrop of aid to a government-held area of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria. As many as 10 pallets were unaccounted for, seven landed in no-man’s land and four were damaged. |