Syria: Urgently needed aid for people in Babila, Yalda and Beit Sahem

For the first time since the Syria crisis began, an ICRC team has visited the districts of Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahem in Rural Damascus where more than 2,500 families have recently fled from Yarmouk. These families now face immense hardships that continue to increase every day. Marianne Gasser, ICRC head of delegation in Syria, met with displaced families living in a school in Yalda, to better understand their urgent needs.

The ICRC and SARC teams have already brought food parcels to 9,500 families living in these districts, as well as those displaced from Yarmouk. In the last two weeks we have also begun to provide basic food on a daily basis. In addition, teams have delivered medicine for people suffering from chronic diseases. This delivery will provide 5,000 patients with sufficient medicine for three months. The ICRC also visited health centres that were damaged by fighting over two years ago. If rebuilt, one of these centres alone would have the capacity to provide health care to everyone living in the three districts.

The ICRC and SARC are ready to enter Yarmouk to provide urgent humanitarian services. We call upon all involved in the fighting to allow the immediate delivery of critical humanitarian aid.