WorldGENEVA, AFP -Aid convoys have not reached Syria's besieged areas with desperately needed food and medicine for the past month, the UN envoy to the war-ravaged country, Staffan de Mistura, said Thursday. In protest at the failure of warring parties to allow aid to reach civilians, de Mistura cut short the weekly meeting of the Geneva-based humanitarian taskforce, which is headed by the United States and Russia. “Not one single convoy in one month has reached any of the humanitarian besieged areas,” de Mistura told reporters, blaming relentless fighting. De Mistura said the 17 countries that make up the International Support Group for Syria (ISSG), which sit on the humanitarian taskforce, would hold another meeting later Thursday on the issue of a humanitarian pause in Aleppo. Four besieged areas -- Madaya, Zabadani, Foah and Kafraya -- have not been reached by a convoy in 110 days, the UN envoy added.

Source: Sunday Times August 18, 2016 11:15 UTC