Syria Writes UNSC Of Aid Blocked by "Terrorists" in Al Raqqa, Yarmouk

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 13 -- Amid a stand-off on a UN Security Council resolution on humanitarian access in Syria, on February 12 the Syrian Mission to the UN sent a four page letter to the President of the Security Council, which Inner City Press has exclusively obtained. The letter lists aid that has gotten in and stating that aid was stopped "due to road blocks by terrorist groups" in Deir Elzuor, Al Raqqa, Al Hasakeh, Idleb, Aleppo countryside.

The letter is tied to the briefing by the UN's Valerie Amos scheduled for the afternoon of February 13 and says "a total of seven UN humanitarian convoys were allowed to access since the beginning of 2014 as follows: In January to Aleppo and Damascus Countryside (Alghozlaniea and Jdaidat Alshibani); in February to Damascus Countryside (Alkiswa, Barza Albalad, Alsaboura and Bloudan)."

  Regarding the Old City of Homs, Syria's letter says "694 civilians were evacuated, including 80 children... Temporary shelters were also provided to 134 civilians." It says that on February 8th an "aid convoy was attacked with mortar shells and shooting by the armed terrorist groups during the operation, and due to that two trucks were forced to return to the staging area. After the shooting was ceased, the rest of the convoy tried to re-enter the old city of Homs; unfortunately it was attacked once again by the same group with mortar shells, with resulted in the damaging of trucks and shooting the driver. Accordingly, a decision was taken to exit the area due to the risk factor."

  The letter does not say who made this decision, nor name the group(s). It concludes that the "villages Nubal and Zahra, in Aleppo Countryside, Foa'a and Kefria in Idleb countryside, Adra in Damascus Countryside, still suffer from the siege imposed by terrorist armed groups. Those groups totally prevent the delivery of any humanitarian assistance for several months now."

   Regarding the Yarmouk camp of UNRWA, Syria recites the entry of 7100 food parcels, bread, dates and milk then says "unfortunately the delivery of humanitarian assistance stopped on February 8th due to violations committed by the terrorist armed groups such as gunfire, acts of disturbance and snipers which resulted in the death of an old woman inside the camp."

  Syria says 2104 civilians were evacuated from Yarmouk, "among them people in severe health conditions, as well as students."

   On the morning of February 13, with heavy snow falling on the UN in New York, Valerie Amos was on the 38th floor signing her performance Compact with Ban Ki-moon. She had a printed document with her, presumably her prepared statement to the Council. To whom would or will she attribute the attacks on aid convoys? 

  Also the 38th floor was the UN's Children and Armed Conflict envoy Leila Zerrougui, who reported that the Free Syrian Army recruits and uses child soldiers. While some try to dodge this, what will be done? Watch this site.