13/01/2016

Govt Ministers Call For 'Immediate' End To Humanitarian Crisis In Syria

Government ministers have joined together to call for an "immediate and full end to the denial of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Syria".

Minister for Foreign Affairs &Trade, Charlie Flanagan, and Minister of State for Development, Trade Promotion and North South Co-operation Seán Sherlock made the call, stating that "nearly 400,000 Syrians are living in fifteen besieged locations without access to life-saving aid".

Minister Flanagan, condemning the use of sieges to deny access to food and medical relief to affected populations, said: "Ireland has repeatedly made clear its absolute condemnation of the practice of denying humanitarian assistance to civilians. The use of such starvation sieges against civilian populations is a war crime.

"The Assad regime's war against its own population should not be supported by any State and I urge all members of the International Syria Support Group to press for a nationwide ceasefire and a negotiated end to the Syrian conflict. I reiterate Ireland's support for the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court".

Minister of State Sherlock added: "Starvation of civilians is reprehensible. Ireland's humanitarian partners in the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the UN and WFP left Damascus on Monday and delivered humanitarian aid to the civilian populations of Madaya, Foua and Kafraya, which have been besieged for months."

(MH/CD)

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