U.N. seeks $1.5 billion to help suffering Syrians

The United Nations appealed on Wednesday for $1.5 billion to help save the lives of millions of Syrians suffering a "dramatically deteriorating" humanitarian situation. (..) The U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) is reaching 1.5 million Syrians inside the country with food rations each month, but said it faces increasing constraints, including mounting insecurity and fuel shortages. "Food processing, milling, bakeries rely on fuel electricity to produce a bread product. And of course we are dealing with a largely urbanized population here, so naturally any interruption of that infrastructure is going to be cause for concern," said David Kaatrud, WFP director of emergencies.

Increasingly hard to provide food aid in Syria: UN

The UN's World Food Programme warned Tuesday that the spiralling violence in Syria was making it increasingly difficult to distribute food in the war-torn country. (..) "Food needs are growing in Syria," said WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs, whose organisation distributes most of its aid in Syria through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). (..) Fuel shortages have also impacted WFP's ability to distribute aid, it said, adding that there were not enough humanitarian partners on the ground to help deliver the aid. The WFP appeal came after UN aid chief Valerie Amos at the weekend asked the Syrian government to allow 10 additional aid organisations into the country.

Fuel shortage blocks aid support in Syria, UN warns

The UN's humanitarian chief has called on Syria to urgently allow fuel imports for aid deliveries and give access to 10 more aid agencies. Valerie Amos met government officials in the capital, Damascus, to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis. (..) More than 2.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to UN estimates. In addition, more than 500,000 Syrians have fled their homes to neighbouring countries.

Syrian government forces shell rebel positions around Damascus

Desperate food shortages are growing in parts of Syria and residents of the northern city of Aleppo say fist fights and dashes across the frontlines have become part of the daily struggle to secure a loaf of bread. (..) Valerie Amos said in Rome on Friday that the UN was committed to maintaining aid operations in Syria. (..) The World Food Programme says as many as a million Syrians may go hungry this winter, as worsening security conditions make it harder to reach conflict zones.