Security Council veto: Millions of people in Syria cut off from humanitarian aid Officially confirmed: Russian military ships were at crime scene Nord Stream

Millions of people in northwestern Syria have been cut off from humanitarian aid after a veto in the UN Security Council. After months of negotiations in the most powerful US body, Russia on Tuesday vetoed a nine-month extension of a resolution to further open the key Bab al-Hawa border crossing.

Meanwhile, a counter-proposal from Moscow, which would have resulted in a six-month extension, also failed. The Security Council must now negotiate a new compromise. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “disappointed”. A spokesman said the United Nations still had aid supplies stored in Syria. However, Bab al-Hawa should be reopened as soon as possible. This crossing would deliver 85 percent of all goods destined for the northwest.

Bab al-Hawa is closed from one day to the next from Monday to Tuesday, according to the UN emergency aid agency Ocha, due to the expired mandate. Much of the humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria is channeled through the border posts between Turkey and rebel-held Syrian areas. According to the United Nations, 4.1 million people need aid in this region of civil war. Russia is one of the closest allies of the Syrian government. President Bashar al-Assad wants to regain influence in rebel-held parts of the country by closing the border crossings.

After the heavy earthquake in Syria and Turkey a few months ago, Assad temporarily opened two more border crossings to Turkey: Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee are still open. But Bab al-Hawa is much more important for the northwest of the country. (sda/dpa)