U.N: Number of Syrians in need of aid in hard-to-reach areas increases

The United Nations now estimates there are five million Syrians in need of humanitarian aid living in hard-to-reach areas, nearly a million more than the previous figure.

The United Nations now estimates there are five million Syrians in need of humanitarian aid living in hard-to-reach areas, nearly a million more than the previous figure.

Stephen O’Brien, the U.N.’s emergency relief coordinator, told the Security Council on Thursday that the increase of 900,000 people over the previous estimate of 4.1 million people in April was mainly due to growing insecurity in a number of areas.

“This large increase is based on several factors, but primarily the inclusion of areas in parts of Aleppo, Raqqa and Hasakeh governorates as a result of insecurity, as well as constrained access for humanitarian actors,” O’Brien added.

O’Brien also flagged continuing attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Syria as violations of international law and Security Council resolutions.

The so-called Islamic State group was also cited by O’Brien for genocide and war crimes against the Yazidi people. 

Thousands of Yazidis remain captive, with women being used as sex slaves and boys being indoctrinated and used as child soldiers.