Syria allows resumption of UN aid deliveries across Turkey border

After a Russian blockade in the UN Security Council, Syria has now said it will allow the United Nations to continue humanitarian aid deliveries from Turkey to rebel-held areas of the country, which has been embroiled in a civil war for more than a decade.

Syrian UN Ambassador Bassam al-Sabbagh wrote to the UN's most powerful body on Thursday, saying that the government of Syria has decided to grant permission to the UN and its agencies to use the Bab al-Hawa border crossing.

The United Nations confirmed receipt of the letter. The permission is valid for six months.

In recent days, millions of people in need in north-western Syria have been cut off from supplies after Russia vetoed a nine-month extension of the mechanism in the Security Council.

A counter-proposal by Moscow, which would have provided for a six-month extension, also failed. Russia is one of the closest allies of Syria's government.

According to the United Nations, 85% of all goods for the north-west pass through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, which has been closed since Monday night.

The UN says 4.1 million people in this region need assistance. In recent years, Syria's authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad had insisted on closing border crossings to regain influence over rebel-held parts of the country.

After the severe earthquake in Syria and Turkey a few months ago, al-Assad had temporarily opened two more border crossings with Turkey, Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra'ee, which remain open. Bab al-Hawa, however, is a more significant crossing. (dpa)