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Syria Allows UN to Keep Delivering Aid from Türkiye

Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Syria Allows UN to Keep Delivering Aid from Türkiye

Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, July 2, 2018. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Syria has extended permission for the United Nations to deliver aid to opposition-held areas in the northwest of the country via two Turkish border crossings for another three months, said Syria's UN envoy.

After an earthquake killed more than 50,000 people in Türkiye and Syria in February 2023, Damascus initially allowed the UN to dispatch aid through the Turkish crossings for three months. That has now been extended for a fourth time until May 13, 2024.

Syria's UN Ambassador Koussay Aldahhak told the United Nations on Saturday that it could continue to use the Bab al-Salam and Al Ra'ee crossings, Aldahhak said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Reuters reported.

The United Nations had also been using the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Türkiye to deliver aid to millions in northwest Syria since 2014 with authorization from the UN Security Council. But that expired in mid-July last year after the 15-member body could not reach an agreement to extend it.

Just days later the Syrian government said the UN could continue using the Bab al-Hawa crossing for another six months. The Syrian government extended that approval last month for another six months.

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Sudanese Army Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Darfur

Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
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Sudanese Army Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Darfur

Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)
Smoke rises in the sky over Khartoum following armed clashes that left dozens dead and injured (AFP)

More than 60 people have been killed and over 250 injured in airstrikes by the Sudanese military on the town of Kouma in North Darfur. This incident is being described by observers as one of the “largest massacres” of civilians since the conflict began.

Dozens more have died in separate attacks targeting the areas of Meilit, Wad Abu Saleh, and Um Duwain in Khartoum, with increasing calls for a ban on military flights by the Sudanese army.

Witnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that the military targeted Kouma’s market on Friday morning, dropping explosive barrels that caused widespread destruction. Many victims were shopping at the bustling “Friday market,” and the death toll is expected to rise due to a lack of medical care for the injured.

The attacks are viewed as deliberate assaults on civilians, particularly since there were no Rapid Support Forces (RSF) present in the crowded market. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with bodies scattered throughout the area.

In Meilit, airstrikes also targeted a wedding celebration, killing about 13 people and injuring others. Activists and eyewitnesses deny the presence of the RSF in these locations, despite military claims that air operations are directed at them.

Political and human rights groups have condemned the escalating airstrikes and called for an immediate ban on military flights in Darfur.

The Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (Tagadum) stated that the Kouma market attack was a severe violation against civilians, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

The group expressed concern about ongoing violations against civilians in Sudan and highlighted the need for international attention to protect innocent lives. They urged the warring parties to cease hostilities and engage in negotiations to end the conflict.