UNOG North-West Syria OCHA
/
2:12
/
MP4
/
164.4 MB

Edited News | OCHA , UNOG

Press conference: OCHA North-West Syria

Syria: fears of a ‘bloodbath’ as shelling nears terrified, traumatised displacement camps

Around a million civilians in northwest Syria could face “a real bloodbath, a real massacre” amid an ongoing push by Government forces in the country’s last opposition-held region, a senior UN humanitarian warned on Monday.

“The fighting is now coming dangerously close to the area where more than a million are living in tents and makeshift shelters, so it’s an extremely alarming situation, because if airstrikes move and shelling move any further into that area, we are no doubt going to see a real bloodbath, a real massacre of civilians in that area,” said Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis.

Speaking in Geneva, Mr. Cutts told journalists that as people have fled violence, seeking shelter close to the country’s border with Turkey, “the bombs have just been following them from place to place. And these people feel abandoned by the entire world. They are dumbfounded that no-one seems to be coming to their rescue.”

He added: “What people are asking for at the moment is not just tents and blankets and food, they’re calling for the killing of civilians to stop. They want the fighting to stop, the carnage to stop.”

The violence – which has seen more than 900,000 civilians displaced in northwest Syria since 1 December, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - has been marked by continuing attacks on public infrastructure and built-up areas which are protected under international law.

To date, more than 70 health facilities have been put “out of service” in the affected zone, Mr. Cutts said, citing reports of medical staff in a paediatric hospital “at a loss for what to do” with some 80 infants being cared for in incubators who need evacuating, but have nowhere to go.

“Huge numbers of hospitals and schools and marketplaces and bakeries and water stations have been hit by airstrikes and shelling in the past few months, and there’s a population now that is terrorised and traumatised and living in fear,” he said.

Help is reaching the affected communities via cross-border aid deliveries from Turkey, but much more assistance is needed, Mr. Cutts explained, as he announced an upscaled Emergency Response Plan appeal for $500 million for 1.1 million people.

“In January, we had 1,200 trucks of aid go in; in February so far, we’ve already had more than 700 trucks of aid go in. So the aid is flowing, there is a big aid operation. But the reality is, it’s simply not enough.”

  1. Wide shot: exterior, flag alley, Palais des Nations, United Nations Geneva.
  2. Wide shot: Press briefing room, journalists, podium with speakers and UN logo.
  3. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “The fighting is now coming dangerously close to the area where more than a million are living in tents and makeshift shelters, so it’s an extremely alarming situation, because if airstrikes move and shelling move any further into that area, we are no doubt going to see a real bloodbath, a real massacre of civilians in that area.”
  4. Medium shot: journalists looking at laptop, conferring.
  5. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “People have been fleeing in fear to the border area and what we’ve seen is the bombs have just been following them from place to place. And these people feel abandoned by the entire world. They are dumbfounded that no-one seems to be coming to their rescue.”
  6. Medium shot, journalist typing on mobile phone.
  7. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “Huge numbers of hospitals and schools and marketplaces and bakeries and water stations have been hit by airstrikes and shelling in the past few months, and there’s a population now that is terrorised and traumatised and living in fear.”
  8. Medium shot: journalist looking at mobile phone.
  9. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “What people are asking for at the moment is not just tents and blankets and food, they’re calling for the killing of civilians to stop. They want the fighting to stop, the carnage to stop.”
  10. Medium shot: journalist checking phone, seated in front of laptop.
  11. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “In January, we had 1,200 trucks of aid go in; in February so far, we’ve already had more than 700 trucks of aid go in. So the aid is flowing, there is a big aid operation. But the reality is, it’s simply not enough.”
  12. Wide shot: journalists, seated, semi-profile.
  13. SOUNDBITE (EN) — Mark Cutts, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis: “Today, we are launching a revised Emergency Response Plan. Where we are appealing for $500 million for 1.1 million people, so we’d like to revise those figures upwards.”
  14. Medium shot: journalist looking at laptop.
  15. Wide shot: podium, speakers, UN logo, mural.
  16. Wide shot: Press room, journalists, seated.

Similar Stories

Gaza hospital attack - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza hospital attack - WHO ENG FRA

No evacuation order given before Kamal Adwan Hospital strike, says WHO
One of the last partially functional health centres in northern Gaza was reportedly hit again overnight into Friday by several strikes, leaving four health workers among the casualties and the dead, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

Syria, Lebanon update – OCHA, WFP, World Vision International

2

1

2

Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA

Syria, Lebanon update – OCHA, WFP, World Vision International ENG FRA

More than 280,000 people have been uprooted in northwest Syria in a matter of days following the sudden and massive offensive into Government-controlled areas led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is sanctioned by the Security Council as a terrorist group. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Georgia

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Georgia ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has called on the Georgian authorities to respect and protect the rights to freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly following several nights of protests that were marred by violence, and dispersed using disproportionate, and in some cases unnecessary, force by the police in the capital, Tbilisi.

Escalation of hostilities in northwest Syria - OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

Escalation of hostilities in northwest Syria - OHCHR ENG FRA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said today he was extremely concerned about the recent escalation in hostilities in northwest Syria, which further compounds the suffering endured by millions of civilians.

Syria humanitarian update OHCHR - WHO - OCHA

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , OCHA

Syria humanitarian update OHCHR - WHO - OCHA ENG FRA

Syria escalation: Civilians face deadly attacks, health care in distress and aid access compromised

The ongoing escalation of violence in northwest Syria linked to the wider conflict in Gaza and Lebanon has left civilians dead and injured, hospitals “overwhelmed” and attacks on healthcare on the rise, the UN warned on Tuesday.

OCHA - Press Conference: launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2025

2

1

4

Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA

OCHA - Press Conference: launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 ENG FRA

Multiple unending conflicts, climate change and a glaring disregard for long-established international humanitarian law are set to leave a staggering 305 million people in need of lifesaving assistance next year, the UN’s top aid official warned on Wednesday.


Embargo Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 0600 CET / 0000 ET

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on plight of civilians in Ukraine as result of attacks on energy infrastructure

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on plight of civilians in Ukraine as result of attacks on energy infrastructure ENG FRA

The UN Rights Office on Friday warned about the plight of civilians in Ukraine after further attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.

Submarine cable resilience – ITU - 29 November 2024

1

1

1

Edited News | ITU

Submarine cable resilience – ITU - 29 November 2024 ENG FRA

An international panel has been set up to protect undersea communications cables that are crucial for international trade and security, the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Friday. The creation of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience comes amid an ongoing investigation into the severing of two fibre optic cables in the Baltic Sea, in less than 24 hours between 17 and 18 November.

ITU - Press Conference: Launch of Facts & Figures 2024

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | ITU

ITU - Press Conference: Launch of Facts & Figures 2024 ENG FRA

An estimated 5.5 billion people have access to the internet in 2024, an increase of 227 million people based on revised estimates for 2023, the UN specialized agency for telecommunications, ITU, said on Wednesday. 

 

UNAIDS - Press Conference: Launch of World AIDS Day Report 2024

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | UNAIDS

UNAIDS - Press Conference: Launch of World AIDS Day Report 2024 ENG FRA

Launch of World AIDS Day Report 2024—Take The Rights Path 

Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urges Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to protect media freedom

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urges Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to protect media freedom ENG FRA

A joint report issued this morning by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) paints a disturbing picture of the media landscape in the country since the Taliban takeover. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says.

Lebanon ceasefire call OHCHR 26 November 2024

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Lebanon ceasefire call OHCHR 26 November 2024 ENG FRA

UN human rights chief Volker Türk lent his weight to growing ceasefire calls in Lebanon on Tuesday, amid reports that the senior Israeli cabinet members were due to meet on a deal to end more than a year of conflict with Hezbollah militants, sparked by the war in Gaza