GENEVA / RAQQA SUPPLY ROUTE

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported today that the opening of the road from Aleppo to Menbij and Qamishli in Syria’s north-eastern Hassakeh governorate is making a big difference in delivering relief items including tents, blankets, jerry cans and other essentials to displaced people.UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:06
• Production Date: 11 July 2017
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 1928211
• Parent Id: 1928211
• Alternate Title: unifeed170711d

Description

STORY: GENEVA / RAQQA SUPPLY ROUTE
TRT: 2:06
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 11 JULY 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR):
“UNHCR’s first convoy of three trucks reached Qamishli on June 29 and delivered relief including tents, blankets, jerry cans and other essentials for the thousands fleeing conflict in the area. A second convoy arrived on July 4, a third reached its destination on 10 July, and a fourth convoy is on its way as we speak. A total of 22 trucks have been dispatched, 17 already reaching their destination”.
4. Close up, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR):
“The UN estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 people remain trapped in Raqqa city – although getting the precise numbers is difficult given the lack of access. Availability of food, water, medicine, electricity and other essentials has been dwindling, with the situation rapidly deteriorating. It is imperative that trapped civilians are able to secure safe passage out – to reach safety, shelter, and protection”.
6. Med shot, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR):
“Since November last year about 230, 000 (displaced people), since April 1st the recent military operations begun, just since then we account for about 190, 000 people. Over the June alone 20, 000 people have left the city. We see a trend in which about a hundred to 200 families manage to get out of the city in some way, either by using smuggler routes, either by risking their lives during the combats, and essentially try to reach the safety, but on average it is about 100 -200 families every day”.
8. Wide shot, journalists

Storyline

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported today that the opening of the road from Aleppo to Menbij and Qamishli in Syria’s north-eastern Hassakeh governorate is making a big difference in delivering relief items including tents, blankets, jerry cans and other essentials to displaced people.

Speaking to journalists today (11 Jul) in Geneva, UNHCR’s spokesperson Andrej Mahecic said “UNHCR’s first convoy of three trucks reached Qamishli on June 29 and delivered relief including tents, blankets, jerry cans and other essentials for the thousands fleeing conflict in the area”. He added that “a second convoy arrived on July 4, a third reached its destination on 10 July, and a fourth convoy is on its way as we speak. A total of 22 trucks have been dispatched, 17 already reaching their destination”.

The road had been closed for nearly two years due to fierce conflict. Costly airlifts, with limited capacity, were the only ways to bring supplies into the area. With the number of people displaced from and within Raqqa governorate now having passed 190,000 since 1 April, the opening of the road allows now for regular deliveries from warehouses in Damascus, Homs and Aleppo. UNHCR, UN agencies and partners can now reach a greater number of the estimated 430,000 people in need in battle-affected Raqqa governorate.

Mahecic said “the UN estimates that between 30,000 and 50,000 people remain trapped in Raqqa city – although getting the precise numbers is difficult given the lack of access. Availability of food, water, medicine, electricity and other essentials has been dwindling, with the situation rapidly deteriorating. It is imperative that trapped civilians are able to secure safe passage out – to reach safety, shelter, and protection.”

UNHCR reminded again all parties to the conflict of their obligations to abide by international humanitarian law and to protect civilians who must never become targets.

UNHCR’s Mahecic said “since April 1st the recent military operations begun, just since then we account for about 190, 000 people. Over the June alone 20, 000 people have left the city. We see a trend in which about a hundred to 200 families manage to get out of the city in some way, either by using smuggler routes, either by risking their lives during the combats, and essentially try to reach the safety, but on average it is about 100 -200 families every day.”