There are signs of humanitarian progress in Syria with more aid reaching those in urgent need, but conditions remain “dire” throughout the country with only 30 per cent of people in besieged areas reached and even fewer in hard-to-reach areas, UN News Center quoted the top United Nations humanitarian official as saying on Thursday.

Addressing the Security Council in New York, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, Stephen O'Brien said that inter-agency convoys have reached 150,000 people in the 11 of the 18 besieged areas in Syria, and welcomed the commitment by the Government of Syria to simplify administrative procedures for cross-line convoys.

He cautioned, however, that “we are a long way from the sustained, unconditional and unimpeded access that is required of the parties under international law and was and is demanded by this Council in its resolutions.”

Some 13.5 million people remain in need of humanitarian aid, with some 4.6 million in besieged and hard-to-reach areas, according to UN figures.

Source : MENA