Children are feared to be among the hundreds of civilians killed in weekend hostilities in Syria which has also displaced thousands of people. The international NGO Save the Children has reported that it has been getting essential items to families fleeing from the unrest and is calling for children to be protected.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said that around 745 civilians, including at least 13 children, as well as several hundred security force members and fighters, were killed in Latakia and Tartus on the country’s west coast in the worst violence since Syria‘s Bashar Al-Assad regime was ousted in December.
“The reported killing of children and civilians is horrifying,” said Save the Children’s Syria Response Director Bujar Hoxha. “Many children in Syria have already had a lifetime of war, and now, once again, they have been cruelly thrust into brutality. Just three months after a moment of hope for peace, security, and stability, violence is once again shattering the lives of families and children.”
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The NGO official added that the escalation of violence has displaced a reported 45,000 people from their homes, leaving them in desperate need of food, shelter and protection. Save the Children teams are preparing to respond immediately by supporting partners to distribute core relief items to families fleeing these clashes.
“We are calling on all parties to de-escalate the situation and put children’s futures first,” added Hoxha. “A ceasefire in Syria is the only path to offer children a chance for a meaningful future where they can survive and thrive. After witnessing at first-hand the immense poverty and destruction across Syria, I urge the international community to increase humanitarian funding to address critical needs like malnutrition, health, education and support for children, helping communities build a peaceful future in the months ahead.”
Nearly 14 years of conflict and economic crises have left around 16.7 million people in Syria, nearly two thirds of the population, in need of assistance. Children account for an estimated 45 per cent of those in need, meaning that three in every four children in Syria require urgent support.
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