Almost 100,000 People Remain In Humanitarian Need In Syria's Rukban, Al-Hawl Camps - UN

Almost 100,000 refugees from different countries are living in the Rukban and Al-Hawl refugee camps, which are located in US-controlled areas of Syria and experiencing a humanitarian crisis, Najat Rochdi, senior humanitarian adviser to the UN special envoy for Syria, said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) Almost 100,000 refugees from different countries are living in the Rukban and Al-Hawl refugee camps, which are located in US-controlled areas of Syria and experiencing a humanitarian crisis, Najat Rochdi, senior humanitarian adviser to the UN special envoy for Syria, said on Friday.

"The situation in Al Hol camp in northeastern Syria is unsustainable for the approximately 70,000 people inside the camp, the vast majority of whom are Syrian and Iraqi women and children," Rochdi said.

The situation in Rukban is in no way better, the official added.

"Some 16,600 people have left Rukban, leaving about 25,000 people in the settlement who need humanitarian and protection assistance," she said.

Rochdi reiterated recent calls to improve the humanitarian situation in refugee camps and protect the most vulnerable groups, including children.

"I will continue to work with my UN colleagues to exert all efforts to ensure that Syrians receive protection and humanitarian assistance, and that the UN and its partners have safe, regular and sustained humanitarian access to all those in need," Rochdi said.

The Syrian civil war has left behind over 5.6 million refugees and over 6 million internally displaced people since 2011. Government forces, led by President Bashar Assad, have regained control over most of the country's territories, so the country is now focused on creating favorable repatriation conditions for the refugees.