WFP Plan To Provide Humanitarian Aid Deliveries By Air In Syria
In response to the request of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) WFP has developed a plan to provide humanitarian aid deliveries by air to besieged areas inside Syria. The plan considers the various modes of delivery that would be possible to the 19 besieged areas identified by the UN.
• In 15 of the areas assessed, if land access is not granted, helicopter operations are the only viable option. These are all urban or semi-urban areas and include Madaya, Darayya, Moadamiya and Duma. High-altitude airdrops to those locations are not possible owing to the risk of harming people on the ground along the path between release of the cargo from the airplane and the actual landing zone. This path can be up to 5 km.
• At least 11 helicopters will be required to meet the monthly needs of those trapped in these besieged areas.
• High altitude airdrops may be possible to Foah and Kafraya (Idlib Governorate), where an estimated 20,000 people are trapped.
• High altitude airdrops will be continued to Deir Ez-Zour.
On the basis of the ISSG assessment of the situation as of 1 June WFP is now activating the plan. This includes preparing a clearance request for submission by the Humanitarian Coordinator to the Syrian authorities.
In order to implement the plan it will be necessary to have both funding and all necessary clearances in place.
WFP is committed to working with all parties to ensure we use every means necessary to provide the humanitarian assistance required to save lives.
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Abeer Etefa, WFP/Cairo, Tel. +202 2528 1730 ext. 2600, Mob. +201066634352
Jane Howard, WFP/Rome, Tel. +39 06 65132321, Mob. +39 346 7600521
Gregory Barrow, WFP/London, Tel. +44 20 72409001, Mob. +44 7968 008474
Gerald Bourke, WFP/New York, Tel. +1-646-5566909, Mob. +1-646 525 9982