Syria truce breaches amid mounting refugee crisis
The two-week cessation of hostilities that began on Feb. 27 has reportedly been marred by a number of breaches by the Syrian regime and its backers, including Russia. Nonetheless, the bloodshed has been significantly reduced, and the period of relative calm could lay a more solid foundation for the next round of talks on March 7 in Geneva.
During this period of relative calm, parties should commit to addressing the root causes of the conflict while pressuring Balkan states to not eschew their humanitarian responsibilities.
Brooklyn Middleton
Capitalizing on the truce, the United Nations has said it plans to facilitate the transfer of aid to at least 150,000 people over the coming days. After the disastrous aid drop last week – which saw 21 tons of humanitarian aid destroyed or lost – the need for humanitarian workers to be guaranteed safe access on the ground was again underscored.