SYRIA / HOMS EVACUATION

A United Nations led operation to assist civilians wishing to leave the Old City of Homs, started today with the evacuation of 83 women, children and elderly civilians after an agreement was reached by the government and opposition groups in homs for a ceasefire. The agreement will also allow humanitarian aid to reach the besieged area on Saturday. WFP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:56
• Production Date: 7 February 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: NUTRITION; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: U140207a

Description

STORY: SYRIA / HOMS EVACUATION
TRT: 1:56
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 7 February 2014, Old Homs, Syria

Shotlist

1. Pan left, street to remains of bombed buildings
2. Various shots, people gathered in the street
3. Med shot, UN cars approaching the old city
4. Med shot, people with bags leaving
5. Med shot, old woman being carried
6. Med shot, IOM buses arrive to the old city
7. Pan right, ready to eat food at reception centre, people eating
8. Med shot, old city residents on buses ready to leave
9. Close up, people
10. Med shot, old man waiting
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Unidentified, old city resident:
"“Its cold, cold very cold, Do you know how many pants I am wearing, I am wearing four look at my hands I ate thyme and oil. Do you know how they eat thyme and oil the modern way you dip the spoon in oil and then you put it into the powdered thyme and you eat it.”
12. Med shot, people walking in the rubble covered street

Storyline

A United Nations (UN) led operation to assist civilians wishing to leave the Old City of Homs began today (7 Feb) with the evacuation of 83 women, children and elderly civilians after an agreement was reached by the government and opposition groups in Homs for a ceasefire. The agreement will also allow humanitarian aid to reach the besieged area on Saturday.

The first group of evacuated civilians was escorted by UN staff and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), personnel. Up to 2,500 people are thought to be trapped in the old city of Homs as parts of it have been under siege since June 2012.
“We welcome this breakthrough and hope it will set the precedent for humanitarian access to all besieged communities in Syria,” said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Yacoub El Hillo in Syria as he oversaw the operation in the old city of Homs.
The UN and SARC managed the reception centre and the evacuation. IOM, WFP, WHO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF are working along with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) to provide food, medical and hygiene kits, mattresses, blankets, cash assistance and logistical support to meet the immediate needs of people choosing to evacuate from the area and those who are still inside.

As part of this inter-agency effort, WFP has trucks on standby to deliver food into the Old City tomorrow (Saturday). The trucks carry enough food for 2,500 people for one month – 500 family rations and 500 bags of wheat flour, plus 100 boxes of Plumpy’doz, a specialized nutrition product for children.

It is important to note that while access to some locations in Homs has been extremely challenging, WFP has been successfully delivered food in many parts of Homs governorate. Last month, WFP dispatched enough food for nearly 687,000 people in Homs governorate.