U.N. plans aid for 154,000 besieged Syrians in next 5 days

The United Nations and partner aid organizations plan to deliver life-saving aid to 154,000 Syrians in besieged areas in the next five days, the UN Resident Coordinator in Damascus Yacoub El Hillo said in a statement on Sunday.

Pending approval from parties to the conflict, the UN is ready to deliver aid to about 1.7 million people in hard-to-reach areas in the first quarter of 2016, he said.

The U.N. estimates there are almost 500,000 people living under siege and 4.6 million who are hard to reach with aid.