Painful scenarios await the residents of northern Syria in the event of closing the “Bab al-Hawa” crossing

NORTHERN SYRIA

- More than 4 million Syrians living in opposition-controlled areas (northwestern Syria) are turning their attention to the consequences of the UN Security Council sessions regarding the mechanism of aid transit to them, in an area that has been witnessing a siege and bloody war for more than a decade.

It is expected that the UN Security Council will continue its negotiating sessions in order to issue a resolution on the mechanism for the transit of UN aid to Syria across the border, after its failure during the past two days to reach an agreement to renew the resolution as a result of a Russian veto on a Western project extending the mechanism for a year.

By the end of Sunday, the decision to deliver aid across the border to northwestern Syria, which has been in effect since 2014, expired, amid talk of Russia's intention to stop the mechanism and transfer the aid file to its ally, the Syrian regime.

Most of the UN humanitarian aid convoys carry food supplies to millions of Syrians in northwestern Syria (Al-Jazeera)

The call of the displaced

The displaced person, Abd al-Salam al-Youssef, who runs a camp for the displaced in Idlib countryside, said that he, like the people, was deeply shocked by the Russian veto decision, which aims to stop aid to the displaced Syrians through the Bab al-Hawa crossing.

Al-Youssef added - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - that there are ongoing negotiations between the countries in the Security Council, to renew the aid transit mechanism, warning of a humanitarian disaster against millions in northern Syria if humanitarian relief convoys stop crossing to the people.

Al-Youssef stressed that the displaced people will not accept to receive aid across the contact lines through the Syrian regime, which has killed and displaced millions of Syrians, making an appeal on behalf of the displaced to the decision-makers, to prevent Russia from passing the decision to close Bab al-Hawa crossing in the face of UN aid.

Activists in the field of relief and humanitarian response warn of starvation if the mechanism of aid crossing to the Syrians stops (Al-Jazeera)

complete starvation

Hours before the end of the decision, the last UN aid convoy, which included 44 trucks, entered the Bab al-Hawa border crossing between Turkey and Syria, which has become the last lifeline for millions of Syrians who reject the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Despite the continuation of negotiations between the member states of the Security Council, there is no clear information - up to the moment - about the mechanism that will be dealt with during the coming period regarding the transit of aid to northwestern Syria, according to the Director of the Office of Public Relations and Information at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, Mazen. Alloush.

Alloush confirmed - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - the administration's condemnation of the Bab al-Hawa crossing of the Russian veto, considering that it is a literal application of the policy of siege and starvation practiced by Russia in all Syrian regions.

Alloush said that the failure to renew the aid crossing mechanism across the border is a prelude to a complete and uncontrollable famine, and a direct threat to the food security of more than 4 million people in the region.

Alloush pointed out that there is an emergency plan for the partner organizations of the United Nations operating in the areas controlled by the Syrian opposition, in the event that the mandate of the United Nations is not extended, pointing out that it is not sufficient for the needs of the population for more than one month.

According to the spokesman, the Security Council has turned into an arena for abhorrent political disputes, as the Russian veto highlighted the failure of the United States and the international community to find alternatives for aid transit, he said.

The "Bab al-Hawa" border crossing between Turkey and Syria is the last lifeline for millions of Syrians who reject Assad's rule (Al-Jazeera)

Consequences of the closure

Humanitarian organizations are drawing painful scenarios for the post-closure phase in the face of UN aid, calling on the UN Security Council to move forward to reach an immediate agreement to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid.

The director of the Syria Response Coordinators team, Muhammad Hallaj, said that the cessation of work on the entry of humanitarian aid across the border will deprive more than two million people of aid, and will deprive more than 2.5 million displaced people of access to clean or potable water.

Hallaj indicated - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - that stopping the decision will lead to the interruption of bread subsidies in more than 650 camps and depriving more than one million people of access to bread on a daily basis.

The team manager warned that failure to extend the UN mandate would reduce the number of hospitals and effective medical points to less than half in the first phase, and more than 80% would be closed in the second phase.

Hallaj warned that the failure to renew the mechanism will lead to a drop in support for the camps to less than 20%, and the inability of humanitarian organizations to provide support for repairing damages within the camps.