Life-saving operations ethos: UN awaits 'green light' for aid deliveries to Aleppo

Syrian terrorist/rebels in besieged east Aleppo have agreed to a plan for aid delivery and medical evacuations, according to UN officials, but the global body is awaiting a "green light" from Russia and the Syrian government before it can begin life-saving operations.


Jan Egeland, the head of a UN-backed humanitarian task force for Syria, said on Thursday that his team had received written approval from Syrian terrorist/rebels and "verbal support" from Russia for the UN-plan reached earlier this month.

The four-point plan involves the supply of medical and food aid, the evacuation of 200 wounded or disabled civilians and medical staff to rotate in and out of besieged areas.

"We have written approval in principle by the armed opposition groups of east Aleppo," Egeland told reporters in Geneva, specifying he was referring to terrorist/rebels with whom the UN is in contact - which does not include Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the group formerly known as the Nusra Front.

"We hope to have a full green light from both the Russian side and Syrian government side."

Asked about whether there was a "Plan B", he replied: "In many ways, 'Plan B' is that people starve. And can we allow that to happen? No, we cannot allow that to happen."
 [aljazeera.com]
24/11/16
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