SYRIA: Aid fails to reach civilians in desert camp

A convoy carrying urgently-needed aid for 50,000 civilians stranded on the Syria-Jordan border has been postponed for security reasons, the UN says. Forty-five lorries were due to arrive on Saturday at the Rukban camp, which last received aid in January. Syria’s army controls access to Rukban, which is near a US-backed rebel base. Jordan is […]

A convoy carrying urgently-needed aid for 50,000 civilians stranded on the Syria-Jordan border has been postponed for security reasons, the UN says.

Forty-five lorries were due to arrive on Saturday at the Rukban camp, which last received aid in January.

Syria’s army controls access to Rukban, which is near a US-backed rebel base. Jordan is also blocking aid deliveries.

There have been reports of children dying due to poor sanitary conditions and a lack of healthcare at the camp.

“The dire humanitarian situation cannot be allowed to continue,” UN Emergency Relief Co-ordinator Mark Lowcock told the Security Council.

“The UN is ready and willing to proceed with the convoy immediately.”