Russian forces have joined their Syrian counterparts in manning the route, making the issue even more complicated.
Advertisement
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.
The Russian defense ministry said it has been fulfilling its cease-fire obligations, which include ensuring that the Syrian air force does not bomb areas held by rebel forces and setting up checkpoints in Aleppo.
Both U.N. officials laid blame on the Syrian government, which requires layers of permission at the senior and local levels.
At today’s briefing, Mr.de Mistura said that the agreement between the USA and Russian Federation on the cessation of hostilities in Syria last Friday was a “game-changer” because violence has been reduced substantially.
“This is something that requires to take place immediately”.
The Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting the foreign ministry, said: “Commenting on the Turkish regime’s statements highlighting its intention to send materials disguised as humanitarian aid to Aleppo city, the Syrian Arab Republic announces its rejection to allow such materials to enter no matter who provides them, including the Turkish regime in particular, without coordination with the Syrian government and the United Nations”.
“It is particularly regrettable”. “These are days which we should have used for convoys to move with the permit to go because there is no fighting”, he stressed. “We’re not. The permits have not been given”, Syrian humanitarian task force chairman, Jan Egeland, told reporters in Geneva.
“Our appeal is the following”, Egeland said.
“Can well-fed grown men please stop putting political, bureaucratic and procedural roadblocks for fearless humanitarian workers that are willing to go to serve women, children, wounded civilians in besieged and crossfire areas?” he asked.
Two civilians killed on Thursday were children in government-held areas, one in Aleppo and the other in Syria’s southwest, it said.
The troops “should have withdrawn from Castello Road on Thursday morning and the rebels, too”, said Zakaria Malahiji, political officer of the Aleppo-based Fastaqim rebel group.
John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov pictured last week.
“Today the withdrawal is supposed to happen, with aid entering tomorrow”.
In Moscow, a spokesman for Russia’s Defence Ministry accused the United States of not fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire agreement.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Thursday that he hopes the Security Council will adopt a resolution endorsing the agreement at next week’s high-level General Assembly meeting, which draws leaders from around the globe.
“We also call on all parties with influence over the Syrian regime to ensure all measures are taken to immediately facilitate access for United Nations humanitarian convoys”.
The rebel group maintains control over several neighborhoods in Aleppo, and the Assad regime likely does not want to alleviate suffering in rebel territory.
Residents in Aleppo have welcomed the lull in the conflict that has displaced more than half of the population of their country and destroyed their city, a former economic powerhouse.
A key point addressed by Washington and Moscow is how to manage the Castello Road, the only passage providing road access to east Aleppo where some 275,000 civilians are essentially trapped.
It said Turkish convoys in particular would not be allowed into Syria. The report said two people guarding the location were wounded. It also said three shells were fired at the government-held southern village of Hadar.
The Observatory said on Thursday (AEST) that it “did not register any death of a civilian, rebel fighter, regime soldier or their allies in the areas where the cease-fire was being implemented in the past 48 hours”. The Observatory said the airstrike killed 23 people. The plan calls for the USA military to contribute to establishing a new headquarters to coordinate airstrikes in Syria, dubbed a Joint Implementation Center, or JIC.
Advertisement
Also not included in the truce is the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria, Fatah al-Sham, formerly known as the Nusra Front.
