Increased Fighting in Syria's Aleppo Interrupts Humanitarian Activities

Fighting between various non-state actors in rural Aleppo, Syria has interrupted humanitarian activities, UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Apart from having a negative impact on the security situation in the region, clashes between non-state actors in rural Aleppo, Syria has interrupted humanitarian activities, according to UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"We are concerned about the protection and well-being of civilians in Atareb, rural Aleppo, following reports of infighting between different non-state armed groups over the past five days," Dujarric said. "Shelling on populated cities and towns in the area is affecting civilian movement, including commercial activities and it has interrupted humanitarian activities in the area due to the clashes and road blocks."

Dujarric added that as a result of the worsened situation, schools in rural Aleppo have suspended classes.

On Sunday, a UN-International Committee of the Red Cross-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy delivered assistance for 21,500 of the approximately 90,000 people in need of aid in Duma city in the besieged East Ghouta of rural Damascus.

Syria has been involved in conflict since 2011 as numerous opposition factions and Islamic extremists and terrorist groups have fought the Syrian Arab Army in order to topple the government of President Bashar Assad.

The international community has taken a number of steps aimed at settling the crisis, including initiating talks under different formats as well as providing humanitarian aid to affected people.