Media Availability and Statement from Carolyn Miles on Aid Convoy Attack in Syria

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the attack on the aid convoy near Aleppo, Syria, Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children US, issued the following statement today:

"Today is a very dark day for agencies working on the relief effort in Syria. There can be no excuse for repeatedly bombing a UN and SARC aid convoy and warehouses, killing and injuring Syrian humanitarians who are trying to help people in the midst of a brutal conflict.

"The consequences of last night's attack are far-reaching. Aid convoys have been suspended across the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without food, medicine and clean water. There are parts of the country, particularly around Damascus, where families are living under siege and are entirely dependent on UN aid that will now not arrive unless urgent action is taken.

"In Aleppo, doctors and ambulance workers have told Save the Children this morning that the bombing has been relentless and they were overwhelmed with casualties through the night. After a brief respite during the cessation of hostilities, humanitarian staff reported air strikes, barrel bombs and heavy artillery fire in civilian areas. An aid worker in East Aleppo said the hospitals are full, ambulances have broken down and children are getting sick from the lack of food.

"There are thousands of human tragedies behind the statistics in Syria. A teacher we work with in Madaya told us yesterday she has meningitis, part of a deadly outbreak in the town. She had pinned her hopes on an aid delivery due to arrive today, the first one since April, with food and medicine. That convoy has now been indefinitely delayed, leaving children in Madaya hungry, sick and trapped. It's a story that is being repeated across Syria.

"Today in New York, President Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are hosting a summit to bring together world leaders to take action to address the global refugee crisis. A vital part of this is ending the bloodshed and suffering inside Syria once and for all, and after so many broken promises this is a prime opportunity to take action. Despite the huge challenges, we cannot give up on trying to secure peace for Syria's children.

"The first step must be to get the ceasefire reinstated, with a focus this time on getting access for humanitarian relief to all areas. Going forward, we need to see an end to the culture of impunity that allows hospitals, schools and aid convoys to be bombed. Too many brave Syrians have lost their lives trying to help others. Save the Children supports the UN's call for an investigation into last night's attack – attacks on humanitarians and civilian infrastructure have characterised this conflict to devastating effect.

"Today's Leaders' Summit must act to help those children and families who have managed to flee such desperate suffering and address the global refugee crisis. Save the Children is calling for world leaders to make political and financial commitments to ensure that no refugee child is out of school for more than one month, and to guarantee that all children forced to flee their homes have access to education, protection, healthcare, nutrition and shelter throughout their journey. Wealthy countries need to do much more to increase resettlement of refugees and ensure safe pathways to refuge."

For interview requests please contact: Negin Janati at [email protected], 203.212.0044

SOURCE Save the Children

Related Links

http://www.savethechildren.org