An estimated 12.2 million Syrians need assistance because of increasing violence and deteriorating conditions in the country, up from 10.8 million in July, the UN humanitarian chief said Tuesday.
But Valerie Amos told the UN Security Council that the delivery of aid from Turkey and Jordan to rebel-held areas in Syria without government approval has “made a difference.” She urged the council to extend the authorization for cross-border aid which expires on January 9.
Amos painted a grim picture of the worsening situation in Syria: a 40 percent contraction in the economy since 2011, three-quarters of the population living in poverty, a 50 percent drop in school attendance, and 7.6 million people displaced inside the country and 3.2 million who have fled to other countries — the largest displacement in any conflict.
