Syria onslaught may spark humanitarian disaster – UN

The UN humanitarian chief on Tuesday urged the Security Council to take action to end the "carnage" in Syria's Idlib province, the last opposition-held stronghold, warning that continued violence could create the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century.

An exasperated Mark Lowcock told council members they have ignored previous pleas and "done nothing for 90 days as the carnage continues in front of your eyes."

He asked: "Are you again going to shrug your shoulders ... or are you going to listen to the children of Idlib, and do something about it?"

'Listen to children of Idlib'

"You, in this Security Council, have ignored all the previous pleas you have heard... Are you going to listen to the children of Idlib, and do something about it?"

The Security Council is deeply divided, with Russia backing the Syrian regime and Western nations supporting the opposition.

That has prevented the UN's most powerful body from taking any significant action.

Civilians let down

Susannah Sirkin, Director of Policy, Physicians for Human Rights, said the council's failure to act had let down civilians in Syria.

"The courageous medical workers are providing life-saving care while being bombed, and doctors tell us that hospitals, which should be the safest places in Idlib, are the exact opposite. They are targets," Sirkin said.

She told council members that the Syrian regime and Russian government were deliberately targeting health facilities in Idlib, a charge vehemently denied by Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations.

"Today it was said that Russia deliberately is conducting air strikes using bombs to target hospitals and schools. This is a lie. I reiterate this," Nebenzia said.

TRT World's Obaida Hitto says there has been no let up in regime bombardment on civilian areas in the so-called ceasefire zone.