Violence Threatens UN Food Deliveries in Syria
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BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Unrelenting hunger is one of the many repercussions of the conflict in Syria, and the international community is trying its best to bring food to millions of victims.
However, the United Nations World Food Program acknowledged on Tuesday that its efforts are starting to fall short due to the danger of transporting supplies into regions wracked by violence.
The U.N. said it was successful in delivering food to as many as two million people last month with the goal in April of getting much-needed nourishment to 2.5 million Syrians scattered throughout its 14 governorates.
Yet, with the fighting escalating virtually everywhere in the country, drivers of U.N. trucks often have to turn back at checkpoints. Even more worrisome is that some vehicles have been hijacked by armed groups. While no one was reported harmed, all the supplies were taken.
Staffing is also becoming problematic as some safe havens are no longer immune from attack, even in Damascus. Currently, there are just 18 international and 80 national staff members in all of Syria to ensure food deliveries.
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