Airstrikes Along Turkish Border Jeopardize Cross-Border Aid to Syria, Says Mercy Corps

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ongoing violence in Syria, which has resulted in nearly five years of catastrophic conditions for the country's citizens, is now severely restricting the delivery of humanitarian assistance.  Intensification in airstrikes against towns located between Aleppo City and the Syria-Turkey border threatens critical supply routes for humanitarian aid. Because of its large team working closely with local partners and the prepositioning of aid and supplies, Mercy Corps is able to continue providing assistance in the war-torn nation.

"Those civilians who choose to escape the spreading violence really have nowhere else to go but Turkey," says Rae McGrath, Mercy Corps' Country Director for Turkey and North Syria. "And with greater pressure on Turkey from Europe to stem the flow of refugees, these innocent people are in danger of being trapped. It's hard to imagine that the conditions in Syria could have become worse than they already were, but they have."

Syria's civil war has left many civilians inside the country completely reliant on humanitarian assistance. With one of the largest food delivery operations in the country, Mercy Corps has been reaching up to 500,000 people per month.

"Mercy Corps is well-established in Syria, and we will continue our operations there," says McGrath. "But many thousands of people are not getting the help they so desperately need and this crisis is worsening by the day."

As it has in the past, Mercy Corps and its partner aid organizations continue to appeal to the United Nations to press for the cessation of bombing of civilian targets. The international community must recognize the need for humanitarian access and safe passage for all affected civilians. And, ultimately, Mercy Corps strongly urges all parties involved in this conflict to work toward a lasting peace.

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SOURCE Mercy Corps

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