Landmine blast kills ISIS member
Mar 13, 2016, at 10:53 pm
Beirut, Mar 13 (IBNS) A member of militant group ISIS and his sister was killed in a landmine blast in Syria's Deir Ezzor area, a monitor group said on Sunday.
UN aid officials, partners appeal for ‘real peace’ ahead of Syrian conflict anniversary
Mar 12, 2016, at 02:08 pm
New York, Mar 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS):Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Syrian conflict, senior United Nations humanitarian officials and their partners on Friday made a joint appeal for a political solution to end the fighting and pledged to keep up pressure for access to all civilians in the country.
UN: Syria talks to begin next week, as humanitarian aid reaches more besieged areas
Mar 10, 2016, at 03:23 pm
New York, Mar 10(Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria on Wednesday announced that ‘substantive’ UN-mediated peace talks will begin next Monday, as humanitarian aid convoys continue to reach more people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas following a nationwide cessation of hostilities that began on 27 February.
Amid signs of hope in Syria, UNICEF chief sees 'harsh evidence' of war's toll on children
Mar 03, 2016, at 01:46 pm
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Wrapping up his visit to Syria, the head of the United Nations children's agency has urged both the Government and armed opposition groups to facilitate access to all children in need, especially so the UN and its partners can implement a nationwide immunization programme.
Mar 02, 2016, at 03:16 pm
New York, Mar 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Marking 50 years since the unanimous adoption of two United Nations human rights treaties – respectively promoting respect for civil and political, and economic, social and cultural rights – a top UN official on Tuesday said the landmark covenants have helped extend rights to people crushed by tyranny and discrimination for generations.
Ban says Europe's border restrictions not in line with international law 'or human decency'
Mar 02, 2016, at 02:47 pm
New York, Mar 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): In Spain on Tuesday evening, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the country's efforts to address some of “the most urgent issues on the international agenda,†including the plight of asylum seekers fleeing across the Mediterranean, and the devastating war in Syria.
UN Security Council endorses cessation of hostilities pact in Syria
Feb 27, 2016, at 02:35 pm
New York, Feb 27 (Just Earth News/IBNS)The United Nations Security Council on Friday endorsed the joint statement announced on Monday by United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ceasefire Taskforce, on the terms of a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Syria, and demanded that the agreement take effect at midnight Damascus time.
'Everyone is losing' in the Syrian conflict, UN relief chief tells Security Council
Feb 25, 2016, at 02:23 pm
New York, Feb 25 (Just Earth News/IBNS) While welcoming the recent announcement of a cessation of hostilities in Syria as a “long-awaited signal of hope,†the top United Nations humanitarian official on Wednesday echoed the calls of the world body and the international community at large for the parties involved to work towards a more durable ceasefire and facilitate conditions for increased protection and humanitarian aid.
Syria: UN envoy strongly condemns bombings in Damascus and Homs
Feb 22, 2016, at 02:14 pm
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News/IBNS)The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria has strongly condemned bombings in two Syrian cities earlier on Sunday that resulted in more than 100 people killed or injured, including children.
Life-saving humanitarian aid reaches five besieged towns in Syria – UN
Feb 18, 2016, at 02:27 pm
New York, Feb 18 (Just Earth News/IBNS) As United Nations relief wing convoys reached five besieged towns in Syria with aid today, the Office of the UN Special Envoy for the country announced that a task force will meet for a second time tomorrow to discuss humanitarian access issues.
UNICEF chief 'appalled' by reports of attacks on hospitals, schools in northern Syria
Feb 16, 2016, at 03:08 pm
New York, Feb 16 ( (Just Earth News/IBNS) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Anthony Lake said on Monday he is "appalled" by reports of attacks against four medical facilities in Syria, two of which are supported by UNICEF.
Ban sends Security Council first report of joint UN body probing chemical weapons in Syria
Feb 13, 2016, at 02:50 pm
New York, Feb 13 (Just Earth News/IBNS) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has on Friday submitted the Security Council first report of the joint body set up between the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to investigate the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Syria: UN relief chief calls on Government to halt attacks displacing 30,000 civilians
Feb 09, 2016, at 03:26 pm
New York, Feb 9 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations emergency relief chief on Monday called on the Syrian Government and other parties to honour their duty to protect civilians and allow safe access for aid as tens of thousands of people were reported to have been displaced from Aleppo and elsewhere in the war-torn country's north by heavy Government bombardment.
Record $10 billion pledged in humanitarian aid for Syria at UN co-hosted conference in London
Feb 05, 2016, at 02:51 pm
New York, Feb 5 (Just Earth News/IBNS) An international conference on war-torn Syria in London on Thursday pledged a record $10 billion after United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon laid out three main objectives: raising $7 billion in immediate humanitarian aid, mustering long-term support, and protecting civilians.
UN envoy for Syria meets with Government delegation in Geneva
Feb 03, 2016, at 02:41 pm
New York, Feb 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria on Tuesday met with a delegation from the country’s Government, one day after meeting with representatives of the opposition High Negotiation Committee (HNC), which he said had officially begun the UN-mediated intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.
With 4 million Syrian children out of school, $1.4 billion sought by UN to save 'lost generation'
Feb 03, 2016, at 02:20 pm
New York, Feb 3 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With four million Syrian and host community children in need of education and no let-up in sight in the fighting tearing the country apart, the United Nations and its partners are seeking $1.4 billion at a major conference in London on Thursday to save the current youth generation.
UN-brokered Intra-Syrian talks officially start in Geneva with opposition meeting
Feb 02, 2016, at 01:58 pm
New York, Feb 2 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The delayed intra-Syrian talks to end five years of bloody warfare officially started in Geneva on Monday with two hours of talks between the United Nations mediator and the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC).
Syrian army seizes rebel stronghold
Jan 25, 2016, at 02:15 am
Beirut, Jan 24 (IBNS): The Syrian regime forces on Sunday overran the Lattakia province in Syria, reports said.
UN agency calls on donors to support Syrian farmers in their hour of need
Jan 21, 2016, at 03:21 pm
New York, Jan 21 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With the war in Syria now approaching its sixth year, agricultural production has plummeted and food supplies are at an all-time low, pushing millions of people into hunger, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization stressed on Wednesday, calling on governments to boost funding to help farmers keep their lands in production and prevent the situation from deteriorating even further.
Aid deliveries reach four Syrian towns while situation in east grave: UN
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:57 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): Overnight aid deliveries reached the Syrian towns of Madaya, Zabadani, Kefraya and Foah, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which on Tuesday announced it is planning on delivering more assistance.
In Jordan, UN refugee agency chief urges greater efforts to end Syria conflict
Jan 20, 2016, at 02:53 pm
New York, Jan 20 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The international community must make greater efforts to end the conflict in Syria or risk prolonging the world's biggest humanitarian crisis for many years to come, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said during a trip to the region.
Al-Ababil Army make a 'deal' of prisoners exchange with IS
Jan 16, 2016, at 02:55 pm
Rif Dimashq, Jan 16 (IBNS)The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday said Al-Ababil Army has made a 'deal' with the Islamic State over prisoners exchange in Syria's Rif Dimashq area.
Starvation 'as a weapon' is a war crime, Ban warns parties to conflict in Syria
Jan 15, 2016, at 03:10 pm
New York, Jan 15 (Just Earth News/IBNS): With United Nations humanitarian teams witnessing scenes in Syria that "haunt the soul," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday said the situation is "utterly unconscionable," and warned that the use of starvation as a weapon during conflict is a war crime.
Syria: UN and partners get relief convoy into besieged town of Madaya
Jan 12, 2016, at 01:36 pm
New York, Jan 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): A humanitarian convoy has finally reached the besieged Syrian town of Madaya with life-saving health and food supplies from the United Nations and its partners for the 42,000 desperate residents after reports of people starving to death under encirclement by pro-Government forces.
Saudi-Iran tensions will not hamper efforts to resolve Syria conflict: UN envoy
Jan 11, 2016, at 01:38 pm
New York, Jan 11 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, concluded on Sunday his regional consultations with meetings in Tehran, where he received assurances from his interlocutors that regional current tensions would not affect Iran's engagement in facilitating the holding of upcoming Geneva talks on ending the crisis in Syria.
UN special envoy continues regional meetings ahead of 25 January intra-Syrian talks
Jan 10, 2016, at 02:29 pm
New York, Jan 10 (IBNS) Continuing his regional consultations ahead of United Nations-facilitated talks on resolving the crisis in Syria, UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura had a useful meeting today in Damascus with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, Walid Mouallem.
UN calls for humanitarian access to besieged areas in Syria, welcomes new approvals from Government
Jan 08, 2016, at 03:00 pm
New York, Jan 8 (Just Earth News/IBNS) The United Nations is calling on Friday for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach people in need in hard-to-reach and besieged areas of Syria, while welcoming the recent approval by the Government to access the towns of Madaya, Foah and Kefraya.
Syria: UN and partners aid evacuation of injured from four besieged towns
Dec 29, 2015, at 02:19 pm
New York, Dec 29 (Just Earth News/IBNS): More than 460 people, including the seriously injured and their family members, were evacuated from four towns under siege in Syria on Monday with the help of the United Nations and its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners following a local agreement between the fighters on the ground.
Syria: Security Council demands immediate humanitarian access across battle lines
Dec 23, 2015, at 01:59 pm
New York, Dec 23 (Just Earth News/IBNS) In its first resolution on Syria since granting the United Nations an enhanced role in seeking to end the five-year-long war, the Security Council on Tuesdaydemanded that all parties, particularly the Syrian authorities, immediately open routes across conflict lines and borders to let in vital humanitarian aid.
Ceasefire in Homs shows a nationwide truce in Syria is possible: UN envoy
Dec 12, 2015, at 03:06 pm
New York, Dec 12 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations in Syria and its partners have evacuated more than 300 fighters along with their families from the last rebel-held neighbourhood of the western city of Homs, as part of a local truce the UN Special Envoy for Syria has described as having "great value" toward demonstrating that a nationwide ceasefire is "doable."