First humanitarian aid convoy enters Syria's Idlib after UN crossing vote

The first humanitarian aid convoy entered Syria's Idlib province on Thursday after the United Nations Security Council renewed use of a border crossing from Turkey earlier this month.

The Security Council voted to renew the Bab Al-Hawa crossing's mandate for an additional six months on 11 July, preserving the only remaining aid route into Syria's rebel-held northwest, where 4.4 million people live.

Aid had stopped for more than 20 days due to the expiration of the previous UN mandate on 10 July, according to Bab Al-Hawa crossing public relations and media director Mazen Alloush.

Thursday's UN aid convoy was made up of 14 trucks, The New Arab's Arabic sister service, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported.

Use of the Bab Al-Hawa crossing to deliver aid to rebel-held areas of Syria without the Assad regime's permission has been authorised by the United Nations since 2014.

Displaced people in the area, particularly those living in camps and receiving World Food Programme assistance, were looking forward to the continued arrival of UN aid.

They said it would be a disaster if aid had to go through the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"I am unable to provide all the necessities for my family," said Omar Al-Ali, 43, who resides in an IDP camp at Atmeh in Idlib province near the border with Turkey.

340 fires had been reported in camps for displaced people in Syria this year, with six people killed and 85 injuredhttps://t.co/ZZU2jHqv8C

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"Life is hard in the camp and the income I receive from my work as a construction labourer depends on the availability of jobs. During the winter, work dries up.

"The food [aid] basket is a lifeline for us, and we hope the Bab Al-Hawa crossing remains open for aid to reach us."

A questionnaire about the humanitarian response in camps in Syria's north found displaced people's worries centre on issues including the spread of skin diseases, increasing numbers of fires with rising temperatures and the lack of medical facilities.

The study was conducted by the Syrian Response Coordinators team in 147 camps.