Syria Warns Turkey Aleppo Aid Must Be Coordinated with Damascus, UN

Rasa - Syria's government on Tuesday warned that all aid going to the divided city of Aleppo, particularly assistance sent by Turkey, must be coordinated with Damascus and the United Nations.

News ID: 423531

Date: 14 September 2016 - 13:10

RNA - "Commenting on the statement issued by the Turkish regime on its intention to send what it says is humanitarian aid into Aleppo, the Syrian Arab Republic announces its rejection of the entry of any humanitarian aid to Aleppo, particularly from the Turkish regime, without coordination with the Syrian government and the United Nations," the foreign ministry said.

The statement, reported by AFP, came nearly a full day into a fragile truce brokered by Russia and the United States that calls for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Syria.

Over the weekend, Turkey said it was already making preparations to deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo, where some 250,000 people in the rebel-held east are under government siege.

But a Syrian source close to the government said the US-Russian deal only allowed the United Nations to send aid into Aleppo.

The source said the sealed trucks would come from Turkey and would be opened inside Aleppo by the Syrian Red Crescent, which would distribute the aid.

Turkey is a key backer of Syria's opposition and has regularly sponsored terrorist groups operating inside the war-torn country.

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