OCHA continues to call for pauses to evacuate Syrian civilians, deliver aid

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Wednesday welcomed press reports that thousands of civilians were allowed to leave Moadamiyeh, Syria, earlier today, and called for humanitarian pauses in other besieged sites for evacuation of civilians and delivery of aid to the needy. "We continue to call for humanitarian access so that neutral and independent organisations can verify that all civilians have been evacuated," OCHA said in a statement. It added that the "humanitarian community continues to call for free and unfettered access to civilians in other besieged locations in Syria, including humanitarian pauses for the evacuation of civilians and delivery of life-saving supplies." OCHA Chief Valerie Amos last Friday urged the Security Council to take the appropriate measures to compel both Government and opposition forces to allow UN and NGOs personnel entry into the besieged areas to assist the needy.