Situation in Syrian Idleb region represents " the biggest crisis in the world today ," a UN official said on Tuesday after a humanitarian assessment mission in northwestern Syria. . " We are facing a truly major humanitarian crisis ," said Kevin Kennedy, the UN regional coordinator for the crisis in Syria. " We - nations, NGOs - who work across the border between Turkey and Syria, are stepping up our efforts " but " we have a long way to go, the needs are overwhelming, " he added during a video link. with journalists in New York.
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Monday, Kevin Kennedy went to the northwest of Syria with representatives of six UN agencies (UNHCR, Unicef, WFP, WHO ...) for an assessment mission requested by the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres. Its findings could eventually lead to the establishment of a UN presence in northwestern Syria. " The violence must stop and we need a political solution ," insisted the UN official. " People die every day, children die from the cold ." " It will not stop until the shooting stops ," he said.
The number of people living in the Idleb region, which the Syrian regime wants to regain control of jihadists and opponents, is estimated at three million people including one million children. More than 6,000 NGO members help them, but 2,000 more would not be superfluous, said Kevin Kennedy. In a separate press conference, Robert Mardini, representative to the UN of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also stressed that " the needs are enormous and are becoming more and more important ".
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" It is the worst wave of displaced people since the start of the conflict " in Syria in 2011, he noted, stressing that many families in Idleb, stranded by disabilities, were unable to flee. and were trapped without possible help in regularly bombed areas. The UN estimates that nearly one million people, more than half of whom are children, have been displaced in northwestern Syria since early December.
