The United Nations is considering overseeing a Russian proposal to create humanitarian corridors for civilians who wish to leave besieged Aleppo, despite strong opposition from aid organisations.
Confidential documents seen by the Guardian detailing internal UN deliberations on the Kremlin’s proposal, described as “deeply flawed” by humanitarian agencies, reveal the contours of a debate inside an organisation that wants to provide assistance to suffering civilians in Aleppo but fears being seen as an accomplice in an onslaught that has left a quarter of a million civilians under siege.
A UN document outlining its position on the humanitarian corridors proposal says it will only implement the overseeing initiative if the warring sides agree to a ceasefire or pause in fighting.
Eastern Aleppo, which is under opposition control, has been under a nearly month-long siege by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and Iranian-backed militias allied to his government.
The rebels have launched an offensive aimed at breaking the siege involving thousands of fighters, and have imposed a news blackout as they battle government troops backed by heavy Russian airstrikes.
If successful, the offensive could lead to the rebels imposing their own siege on western Aleppo, which is under government control and may have up to 1.5 million civilians and internal refugees living there.
The Russian proposal designates four areas that are intended as humanitarian corridors for civilians to flee eastern Aleppo.
Humanitarian agencies have several objections to the plan, but foremost among them is the concern that Assad and his allies could use the flight of civilians as justification for an even more indiscriminate campaign against eastern Aleppo, with the argument that those staying behind have chosen to aid “terrorists”, the regime’s catch-all term for the opposition.
Aid workers also see the plan as unworkable while intense fighting, some of the worst in Aleppo province since the start of the war, rages around the proposed corridors.
theguardian
