NOW Lebanon - ICRC urges daily two-hour truce in Syria to deliver aid, February 21, 2012

The International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday called for a daily truce of two hours in Syria so it can deliver vital aid.

The ICRC has been in talks with Syrian authorities and rebels to try to agree a temporary halt to the fighting so it can get access to the worst affected areas.

"It should last at least two hours every day, so that ICRC staff and Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers have enough time to deliver aid and evacuate the wounded and the sick," said ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger in a statement.

Since February 11, Red Crescent and ICRC teams have managed to enter the cities of Homs, Bludan, Al Zabadani and Madaya to provide humanitarian relief.

"In Homs and in other affected areas, entire families have been stuck for days in their homes, unable to step outside to get bread, other food or water, or to obtain medical care," said Kellenberger.

"The current situation requires an immediate decision to implement a humanitarian pause in the fighting."

More than 6,000 people have died in an 11-month crackdown on dissent.


http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=367378#