Humanitarian situation in Syria remains worrisome: UN official

The humanitarian situation in various regions of Syria remains worrisome, said a senior UN humanitarian official on Tuesday.

Recent weeks have seen a further serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the northwest, while the situation in other regions remains complex, John Ging, director of operations and advocacy of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council.

Intense aerial bombardment and shelling were reported in parts of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Latakia governorates, resulting in civilian casualties and damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure, placing even more strain on humanitarian responders and vulnerable host communities, said Ging in a briefing to the Security Council.

In the southwest, where the Syrian government has regained control over the vast majority of Daraa, Quneitra and As-Suwayda governorates, large-scale return of internally displaced people has already taken place, and fewer than 60,000 people are now estimated to remain displaced in the three governorates.

However, massive levels of humanitarian need persist in the region and the United Nations continues to provide aid in partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and other local organizations, said Ging.

The humanitarian situation remains complex and challenging in other parts of the country, he said.