Un Official Says No Agreement On 'Buffer Zone' İn Syria

The UN's head relief official expressed doubts about the chances for the creation of a 'buffer zone' for refugees in Syria on Monday.



"I don't see the UN Security Council agreeing to a resolution on a 'buffer zone' inside Syria at this point in time," warned Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.



At a press conference during her visit to Ankara, Amos said that a such a protective zone inside Syria would also require the creation of some kind of formal independent force in the country,



Turkey has originated efforts at the UN and in the international community to establish a no-fly zone and a safe haven for refugees inside Syria near the Turkish border.



Children need psycho-social assistance



Amos warned that crisis was becoming even more acute with refugee families needing protection from the cold. She urged for continued and unhindered access to Syria so to deliver more assistance to those in need. 



Amos said she heard horrendous stories of violence and brutality and added: "Children clearly need psycho-social assistance and people need shelter and other help."



"The UN and its partners will continue to do what we can but there is a limit to what we can do. We can save lives...but we cannot deliver the safety and security that people urgently need."



She also called on the world to remember the suffering of the Syrian people and to act.



Amos estimated that 1.6 million people have sought refuge in Turkey from the fighting in Syria, and she praised Turkey for its generosity in welcoming them.  



Thousands of civilians from the Syrian border town of Kobani have fled into Turkey since mid-September when their homes came under attack by the Islamic State for Iraq and the Levant militants.



Asked whether the international community should send more weapons to the Syrian town of Kobani to avoid a possible massacre or further humanitarian tragedy she said:  "The issue for us on the humanitarian side is that it is vital that any of the parties engaged in the campaign against ISIL should abide by international humanitarian law and take all necessary precautions to minimize civilian casualties."



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara