WFP: Nearly 8 Million Syrians Experience Food Shortages

Geneva, MINA – Nearly eight million Syrians experience food shortages and vulnerable to COVID-19, the World Food Program (WFP) said on Tuesday.

In addition, nearly one million people have been internally displaced in the war-torn country since December 2019, the agency’s spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in a short video delivery from Geneva.

“They currently live in very crowded camps, where COVID-19 is easily infected and has a negative impact on them,” said Elisabeth Byrs as quoted from Anadolu Agency (AA).

She said that new cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in Syria and containment measures introduced.

“WFP is doing everything it can to ensure that beneficiaries can receive their rights in the safest way possible,” Byrs said.

The situation in northwestern Syria, around Idlib, remains tense but is relatively calm, WFP said.

“In northwest Syria, WFP and partner staff are providing food aid to save 1.7 million people. And, it is important for WFP to continue providing this food assistance through cross-border operations from Turkey,” Byrs said.

The UN Agency and its partners are implementing COVID-19 mitigation measures such as encouraging citizens to wash their hands and increase awareness of social distance at food distribution points.

Idlib has long been surrounded by troops from the Syrian Assad and its allies. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)