UN rights body to hold 'urgent debate' on E. Ghouta

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA (AA) - The UN Human Rights Council is set to convene for an "urgent debate" later on Friday on the deteriorating situation in Syria's besieged Eastern Ghouta.

The meeting follows a request from the U.K. on Thursday, the council's spokesman, Rolando Gomez, told a news conference in Geneva.

The Syrian regime opposed the holding of such a debate in the UN Human Rights Council, claiming it "would embolden terrorist and militant groups attacking Damascus".

Russia also rejected the council meeting, arguing it was "useless and counter-productive".


- Douma aid convoy

The UN Children's agency, UNICEF, said Friday it expected the Syrian regime to allow an aid convoy with humanitarian supplies for 180,000 people in the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday.

UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Geert Cappelaere called for "approvals and assurances" for the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance.

"We have received reports of over 1,000 children who were killed and seriously injured only since the year began," Cappelaere said.

Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, has been under siege for the last five years, and humanitarian access to the area, which is home to some 400,000 people, has been completely cut off.

In the past eight months, forces of the Assad regime have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.

Hundreds have been killed by the Assad regime airstrikes in recent days.

Last Saturday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day cease-fire in Syria without delay.