UK and US ready to begin air drops to save starving Syrians

‘While air drops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering’

BRITAIN and the US last night said they are willing to support air drops to save the lives of starving Syrians as a last resort after a deadline passed for the Assad regime to end its siege tactics.

On May 17, Britain helped secure a deal for every country with influence in Syria – including Russia – to ensure the delivery of aid to one million people by June 1. But instead of emergency supplies reaching all in need, Bashar al- Assad’s regime allowed convoys to reach only two of the 49 areas besieged by its forces yesterday. The regime also prevented one of those convoys from carrying any food.

Philip Hammond, the Foreign Secretary, said last night: “On the day of that deadline, the Assad regime has cynically allowed limited amounts of aid into Daraya and Mouadamiyeh, but it has failed to deliver the widespread humanitarian access called for by the international community. While air drops are complex, costly and risky, they are now the last resort to relieve human suffering across many besieged areas.”

He called on Iran, Russia and other countries with influence over Syria to “ensure that these air operations can proceed in a safe and secure manner”.

John Kirby, the US state department spokesman, said last night that the US was also willing to support the World Food Programme (WFP) in its plans to air drop aid to besieged areas.

“The United States supports WFP moving forward with their plan to carry out air operations to provide additional aid,” he said.

“The WFP has provided briefings to the United States on a series of approaches that could be taken and we have discussed those with our Russian counterparts.” Britain is expected to call an emergency Security Council meeting later this week in an attempt to honour its promise.

Both of the areas to which Mr Assad’s regime allowed the International Committee of the Red Cross to send convoys are in the suburbs of Damascus and a few miles from United Nations warehouses filled with food.

In Daraya, this was the first delivery of aid since November 2012. The con- voy was allowed to carry medical supplies, but the regime prevented it from bringing food. Families in Daraya are surviving on soup made from boiled spices and many children have never seen fruit.

During an assessment visit to Daraya in April, UN officials found children rarely played outside for fear of the regime’s barrel bombs. Many had damaged vision or hearing, due to the lack of light in their basement refuges and the proximity of explosions.