October 21, 2016
By Voice of America
The United Nations (click here) was forced to postpone planned medical evacuations
in east Aleppo Friday because security assurances were not given by
groups fighting in the city.
"Medical evacuations of sick and injured could unfortunately not
begin this morning as planned because the necessary conditions were not
in place," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations
humanitarian office.
Laerke didn’t specify which groups failed to honor the humanitarian
pause ordered by Russia a day earlier, saying only that the U.N. and the
people of Aleppo were in an “astronomically difficult situation.”
Russia on Thursday ordered that a humanitarian pause in Aleppo be extended for another 24 hours.
Syria and Russia stopped airstrikes on Aleppo Tuesday and the pause
in fighting had been due to end at 7 p.m. local time Thursday....
The issue of humanitarian 'time' in Syria was turned into a nightmare when the UN diplomats and non-profits pushed their presence past the end of the humanitarian time period provided. This humanitarian time element in Syria was maintained. Those are reasonable actions by Russia and Syria. Their cooperation should be respected without placing people's lives in danger in trying to force a permanent ceasefire.
Maximizing the humanitarian time in Syria needs as much pre-planning as possible. Russia and Syria should provide the time period for pre-planning. The time period should remain secured from media and those that not directly involved in the efforts. The non-profits should maintain a readiness to move immediately when the fighting is lifted.
This is the reality of the Syrian Civil War. Protecting life is the goal.
