UNHCR’s aid reaches Deir Ez-Zor city for the first time since three years

For the first time in three years, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has been able to send 5 trucks loaded with life-saving assistance to the city of Deir Ez-Zor.The 93,500 residents of Syria’s largest city in eastern Syria had been besieged by ISIL since 2014, and assistance to them was only possible through WFP airdrops, until last week when the siege was broken and access to Deir Ez-Zor became possible.

The 93,500 residents of Syria’s largest city in eastern Syria had been besieged by ISIL since 2014, and assistance to them was only possible through WFP airdrops, until last week when the siege was broken and access to Deir Ez-Zor became possible.”People were caught up in the fighting that triggered their city, escape became almost impossible and the situation grew dire with time “, UNHCR’s Representative for Syria, Sajjad Malik said: “It is crucial that we reach the people in Deir Ez-Zor with

“his is only the first batch of UNHCR’s humanitarian assistance to the people of Deir Ez-Zor, more aid is in the pipeline,”

“People were caught up in the fighting that triggered their city, escape became almost impossible and the situation grew dire with time “, UNHCR’s Representative for Syria, Sajjad Malik said: “It is crucial that we reach the people in Deir Ez-Zor with much-needed assistance as soon as possible.”

At least 75,000 people in Deir Ez-Zor are in need for assistance according to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent’s initial estimate.It took over 22 hours for the convoy of trucks loaded with plastic sheets, solar lamps, kitchen sets and hygiene kits to reach Deir Ez-Zor from Homs, where 30,000 people will benefit from this assistance.

It took over 22 hours for the convoy of trucks loaded with plastic sheets, solar lamps, kitchen sets and hygiene kits to reach Deir Ez-Zor from Homs, where 30,000 people will benefit from this assistance.“his is only the first batch of UNHCR’s humanitarian assistance to the people of Deir Ez-Zor, more aid is in the pipeline,” said Sajjad Malik.

“This is only the first batch of UNHCR’s humanitarian assistance to the people of Deir Ez-Zor, more aid is in the pipeline,” said Sajjad Malik.

The violence around Deir Ez-Zor and in Ar-Raqqa is still raging and UNHCR calls on all parties, again, to respect the Human Rights Law and the International Humanitarian Law and spare civilians from the brunt of this war.

UNHCR together with other UN agencies working in Syria continue to call for safe, unimpeded and sustained access to all people in need across the country, particularly the more than 4.5 million men, women and children in hard-to-reach and besieged areas.

For further information, please contact:

In Amman:
Rula Amin, Senior Communications Advisor/Spokesperson,Office of the Director for the Middle East and North Africa Bureau in Amman, Jordan.
Mobile: +962 (0) 79 00 45 849, Email: [email protected]

In Damascus:
Firas Al-Khateeb, Communication and Public Information Officer in Damascus, Syria
Mobile: +963 (0) 930 403 228, Email: [email protected]

Vivian Tou’meh, Senior Communication/Public Information Assistant
Mobile: +963 (0) 988 098 860, Email: [email protected]

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